Morning all.
Arsenal’s women beat their Ajax counterparts 1-0 last night and that was enough to keep them in Champions League this season. The draw for the group stage takes place on the 3rd October. For now, the women have their own international break which will hopefully allow Beth Mead to recover after being head-butted during the second half of last nights game.
Whilst the woman’s side of the game might not be as appealing to fans in the same way as the mens side, last weekend they did what I hope the men can replicate on Saturday and that’s to come out of the first NLD of the season with maximum points.
The Daily Mail has an article today which covers the number of injuries clubs suffer. Surprising, Arsenal aren’t the club who suffers most if their figures are to be believed.
The Premier League had the highest number of injuries out of Europe’s top five leagues last season, according to a recent study. Injuries in England’s top division were up to 1,231 in 2021-22 compared to 938 the season before. In research carried out by international insurance brokers Howden, Chelsea topped England’s injury count with 97, Manchester United were second with 81 and Liverpool – 80.
Premier League clubs are understood to be unanimous in wanting their league’s board to formally request that the Football Association scraps FA Cup third and fourth-round replays from the same season, while the PA news agency also understands the league’s ‘Big Six’ clubs are in favour of allowing clubs competing in Europe to drop out of the Carabao Cup or enter an under-21 side.
Europe’s men’s club competitions are set to expand from 2024-25 onwards, meaning an extra 64 matches in the Champions League in total.
Signing more players isn’t the answer because there’s a limit to how many can be named for each competition every season but for the rich clubs, having a deep and strong squad makes such a difference. They can cope with injuries better than most. Arsenal sit somewhere in the middle I think, a deep squad in most positions, just not in every position and certainly not in midfield.
A lot of clubs in the Premier League have players in their first team who wouldn’t make it into a Man City, Chelsea etc, squad, let alone their first eleven. On the flip side, Man City etc, have players in their squad who don’t often play, which other club managers would love to have in their first team. Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus for example. Sterling too. Three quality players who Pep Guardiola was happy to not only sell, but sell to another Premier League club who in theory, could seriously challenge them for the Premier League title. Doesn’t matter though when a manager has a bottomless financial pit to dip into, just as an injury doesn’t hit them too hard either because behind every good player they have, there’s usually another.
When injuries come along for Arsenal, they’ve had a habit of hurting the team quite badly. Like now with doubts over Kieran Tierney, Thomas Partey and Zinchenko for Saturday. If all three are missing, what can Mikel Arteta do? Sambi Lokonga is the only option really but it’s putting a lot of responsibility on his shoulders to play at the heart of the midfield in such a big game. Takehiro Tomiyasu would I guess, be favourite to fill in at left back. At least Martin Odegaard should be fine after playing for Norway last night.
Emile Smith Rowe has gone under the knife in order to finally put his groin injury woes behind him. The surgery, described as being successful on the official website, took place in London in the past few days and Emile’s rehabilitation programme is already underway. Arsenal are hopeful that Emile will return to full training in December.
I really hope the surgery will end what’s been a grim past few months for our young midfielder. He was superb for the club at times last season, when together with Bukayo Saka, was scoring goals. Not having him in the squad, even from the bench has been a loss in my opinion. If his recovery goes well, we should see a fully fit and ready player for the second half of the season.
For now though, I hope Zinchenko, Partey and Tierney are fit for Saturday and they, along with the rest of the squad, can stay fit. At least until the World Cup comes along.
See you in the comments.
Seems like I went away to Catalonia and the place has collapsed .Ive been away from regular internet all a bit sporadic but it all has seemed quiet.
Still there’s nothing like a NLD to get the juices going so hopefully things will pick up with all the tension leading up to it and either relief of angst after.
Whichever way it goes , things here should go ballistic.
As we feared although not playing . Partey picked up his standard international injury , Tierney got a bang on the head and no really positive news came on the original injuries. I fear that we will start the game with a team of half fit players and Xhaka.
I’m not usually very good on the lead up to this game , trepidation seems always to supersede positivity. Hopefully we are in for a good afternoon following the match but until the outcome is clear , the butterflies will keep fluttering and the inside of my stomach will resemble a rather large Buddleia .
Ah, there is life out there. 😂
You might have gone to Catalonia Potter, I only went to Waitrose. Lol
I’m always nervous when this one comes around and it’s no different this year even though we’re playing well. I’ve a feeling everyone who is a doubt will be fit..
They may be playing but they might not be 100% . . The little South Korean’s form suddenly returned at the wrong time and I am sure that Conte’ will use him fresh around 60 minutes . Nothing about this match installs confidence for me and the more I think about it , the more I see a game where we completely dominate and get caught on the break like we have so many times before.
Trips to Catalonia and Waitrose. All this talk of a ‘cost of living crisis’ seems overstated in this parish.
Back in the real world strikes by our beloved Unions will make getting to and from the big game tomorrow real fun. Shame they couldn’t cancel those strikes like they did for that working class icon Her Maj.
Anyway, I do quite like a prawn sandwich.
Were you in Barcelona Potter? Lovely city. Or were you having a lads holiday in Sitges?
I was near Sitges but closer to Olivella and with the wife I might add. Bears week was last week I avoided it.
I know Sitges very well , I used to work there in the 60’s before those coming out got out-out so to speak.
For those that don’t know , not Pete obviously . https://www.gaytravel4u.com/event/bears-week-sitges
Not my scene , or pride for that matter , Carnaval is good though.
Waitrose and Aldi Pete, they’re on a loop. 😂
Sitges is a beautiful town, the church there in the evening when it’s all lit up is fab. Love Barcelona too.
@Potter Interesting. I bet Barcelona has changed a lot since the 60s. It’s changed a lot from when I was first there in the mid nineties.
Sitges looks more high tempo than a week on the Broads. What would Franco say?
Arsenal have a large gay following. Adds to the rich tapestry of the Arsenaliverse.
@Rico
Is that the same loop when you used to drop in to see Her Maj for high tea?
Anyway enough of this upper class frivolity. 4-1 tomorrow!
No Pete, but the Middleton family are frequent visitors to the next village, will that do?
Barcelona changed following the Olympics in 1992 not only structurally but it’s psyche changed too. I remember the Franco era at least the end of it ,and as much as I loved the city it was a rather dour place full of history but rather downtrodden .
Following the Olympics it came alive , The Guardia Civil took a back seat and the Mossos took over the local police work with a less military attitude the people came out of themselves. Now of course the Catalan independence movement is growing and most youngsters speak Catalan first and Spanish second , It’s a growing area and I still enjoy wandering around the old Gothic buildings and of course the Guadi inspired Sagrada and Guell Park taking the odd Estrella and some tapas here and there.
Hope you are right with your prediction .4-1 would be highly welcome .
Morning all
New post up now