The Arsenal medical team have provided an injury update ahead of Tuesday’s Premier League encounter with Chelsea.
The Gunners travel to Stamford Bridge without the suspended Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, as well as long-term injury casualties Calum Chambers and Kieran Tierney – although the Scotsman is back in light training.
However, Mikel Arteta will be without Reiss Nelson who picked up a hamstring strain and missed the 1-1 draw with Sheffield United on Saturday. It’s hoped he’ll be back after the two week break that follows the Burnley game on February 2nd – Arsenal entertain Newcastle at the Emirates on February 16th.
The same time frame applies to Sead Kolasinac who is suffering from a thigh strain, and with Tierney also sidelined it means Bukayo Saka is likely to start at left-back again.
Sokratis, who fell ill ahead of the Sheffield United, will be assessed before Arteta names his squad for the game against Frank Lampard’s team who were beaten on Saturday by Newcastle.
Let’s go avenge the hiding our girls got at home and pick up 3 points while we are at it.
Realistically let’s try to lose by a lesser margin than the girls
But for a couple of mindfarts we could /should have beaten them a couple of weeks back. We should be going for a win and are capable of getting it… but I can’t help but worry that mindfarts are very much an inevitability from this team!
Mustafi for me anyway, he played a very decent game on Sunday and deserves to keep his place.
My worry about Sokratis in games like Chelsea away is that he always starts to appear a bit unhinged with the play acting and shouting at referees that he is almost begging to be sent off.
Did we watch the same game?
This is a difficult one for me as I love the bastadry from Sokratis in bit matches, especially how he had handled Kane, but you’re right about him crossing the line and losing his head. Also , I’ll give him benefit of the doubt after the last match but mustafi is much more of worry due to the history of brain farts etc.
That said , I think we’ll do them. They are better away from home this season and are so inconsistent at the shed .
If Chelsea are inconsistent, what are we?
On second thought, don’t answer that, :p
Wingersnosehair it was easier to edit your comment ?
Doesn’t matter how well Mustafi played, Sokratis is the better defender. If he’s fit, he plays.
The problem with Mustafi is that he can play well for 80+ minutes but is almost guaranteed to have a complete mare at some point in the game. He did alright for the most part on Saturday but then had two moments of madness that could have quite easily led to us conceding. If he does that against Chelsea they’ll kill us for it, just as they did last month.
Sokratis benches him, all day long.
Mustafi had a terrible moment early on, which could have, but did not, cost us (I think he was, indeed, fouled but he put himself into a horrible position.) He made a very bad pass near the end, and that also did not cost us. In between, he was more than okay, he was very good, not only on clearances but bringing the ball up and distributing well. I don’t think it’s possible for him to fully eliminate those mistakes at Arsenal, though a better structure means they will be less likely to result in disaster. But it does mean… Read more »
Rob Holding is also an option.
Although I can’t wait to get Hector back , let’s just manage him carefully and get him back to his best .
Although the same was said for Emery, having a fully fit selection of full backs will really help this team establish the coach’s playing style and give us more flexibility in attack and defence.
Really think we could do with Ceballos featuring at some point just to add something different. Also if it meant Arteta had to tweak the formation slightly, the opponent won’t be expecting it.
Overload the midfield. Ceballos, Willock, Xhaka, Torreira & Ozil. Play 3 at the back with Martinelli, Pepe / Lacazette up top… Worst case we lose a game we’re expected to lose
I wish I could press thumbs down more than once for this suggestion.
We’re bringing down the bridge. I’m too confident about it.
That’s the spirit bro, we are very capable of beating this Chelsea side, it just depends on a carefully structured formation and the right amount of determination and seal we should come out victorious
We need a win desperately. Don’t care how we get it, play crap, var, off someone’s backside, owngoals, or maybe even just a great team performance I’ll take any win as the gap to the bottom lot is not that comfortable.
Hector?
feel like Hector will be eased back into the fold with games in the Europa League rather than a big game agaisnt Chelsea
We really need a win now. From Leicester at third to Arsenal at 10th, anything can happen. We just need to win games. Three points at Stamford bridge would be a massive mental boost for us! COYG
Glad to hear that Nelson’s injury wasn’t too serious. Arteta’s comments had me fearing the worst.
Also, Bellerin is finally free from being ‘assessed’!
Injury-wise, anyway.
Let’s hope his fitness and match sharpness get there too.
Apparently we are bottom of the league in ‘big chances’ created. No surprise there. Our midfield is a problem.