Mikel Arteta Fears Fitness Crisis Could Hinder Arsenal's Silverware Hunt
Mikel Arteta has voiced fears that his team's pursuit for titles this campaign is being jeopardized by a concerning cycle of fitness setbacks and a relentless schedule.
Latest Squad News
Star player Declan Rice did not travel for the midweek clash to face Club Brugge due to sickness. In addition, attacker Leandro Trossard and center-back William Saliba remain unavailable.
There was, on a brighter note, better news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the South American forward added to their Champions League squad. He comes in for the injured youngster Max Dowman, who picked up an ankle injury.
"Practice, no because we don't have time to train. But clearly the fact that you are without players, you are placing demands on other players more, there's a consequence to that and it's a truly dangerous cycle."
Dowman's issue is the latest in a long list of injuries for the club. Since the start of last campaign, they have recorded 95 injuries, the second-highest total in the Premier League.
Long-Term Absentees
- Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are not expected to be back until 2025.
- Midfielder Kai Havertz continues to rehabilitate from surgery and "requires more time," according to the boss.
Arteta dismissed the idea that training methods were to culprit, pointing to a shortage of time for drills. He highlighted the strain on fit players, some of whom have featured over 150 games in two years.
Transfer Strategy
Despite a significant summer investment exceeding £250 million, Arteta insisted the club is unlikely looking to enter the winter transfer market.
"At the moment we're just focusing on getting the players back and with luck it will be a question of weeks," he said. "We know how crucial those weeks are going to be."
Looking Ahead
The squad experienced their first loss in 18 games at the weekend, cutting their lead at the top of the Premier League to two clear points.
Focus now shifts to the European stage, where a sixth group-stage victory would all but secure a top-eight finish. Forward Gabriel Martinelli could make a club record by finding the net in a fifth consecutive European fixture.
"We are disappointed with the result, but we have to keep going," Martinelli said. "This isn't like everything is going wrong because we lost one game. So we stick together."