Morning all.
Not big Gabby but Gabriel Jesus who is getting closer to a return to the squad. Talking to Arsenal Media, he was asked:
How are you feeling at the moment, are you close to coming back?
Yeah, I’m feeling great, man. My knee’s responding very well. So now I’m looking forward to being around the team again soon, to come back to do what I love to do. It’s been too long.
An injury like this, one that is so long, you split up the recovery periods into smaller timings. So now I’m at the stage where I need to hold myself back a little bit, because I’m doing great work outside on the pitches, but it’s tricky because I need to not rush myself too hard over the line. When you can see the end, it’s important you don’t push too hard, keep my feet on the floor, and then as soon as the time comes, I will be ready.
Gabriel Jesus was in a good place before injury struck, scoring 6 goals in 4 games and picking up the fans December player of the month away. Then of course, we played Manchester United and out of nowhere, injury struck.
I had hoped that our injury jinx of last season would have come to an end as we went into the 2025/26 campaign but no, we’re still going through it. Thankfully though, we are better equipped to cope. Saying that, we go into this weekends game against Sunderland without five of our attacking players including Viktor Gyokeres.
One more game, an international break and then our injured should start to return.
The injury discussion will go on and on until our “fortune” changes. I’ve read varying opinions on why we get so many – from training sessions being far too tough, players not warming up properly to the training pitches not being good enough. Personally, I think if there was a simple answer to why our players keep getting injured, someone at the club would have found it.
Injuries and Arsenal have been bedfellows for a number of years now and not just since Mikel Arteta became manager. I know he’s often been criticised for not rotating players enough but I’m not sure it’s that simple. After all, it is only now that he has a deep squad which is full of quality.
Arteta is certainly rotating his players this season. Honestly, I think injuries are simply down to workload. Too many fixtures and not enough recovery time. No winter break either for British clubs. I don’t think there is another sport which demands as much from a player as football. Perhaps rugby is the closest if not in the number of fixtures played but the physicality of the game. I know tennis tournaments usually run for two weeks and matches can take up to five hours to complete but once that tournament is over, the players can rest for as little or as long as they choose. Test cricket goes on for five days but half that time is spent watching from the sidelines.
The change of date for the League Cup fixture against Crystal Palace means that come December, Arsenal will be playing eight fixtures in a month. Man City have seven, Liverpool, six. This month we have six fixtures and two weeks of the month will be an international break. It’s a crazy schedule for all clubs, especially those involved in European competitions.
As a fan, it’s great, especially if the team is doing really well but for a footballer, it must be exhausting regardless of how fit these guys are.
Anyway, if we can get through the next few weeks without adding to the injury list, Mikel Arteta’s selection options should hopefully improve.
Catch up in the comments.
Many years ago I made a prediction that eventually football would eat itself . I have not changed my mind.
In many ways it is similar to the way this country has been run since Thatcher . It is living beyond it’s means.
We are all just poor saps and we know that you can only go so far borrowing because one day you need to pay it back.
In football we have two major organisations , both require money and both are financial over spenders . Fifa runs the world game and their only way to raise more cash is to have more games . The same can be said for Uefa more games makes more money so they have expanded their competitions . we have 6 English teams in the Champions League , how can that be right ?
How can teams that finished from second to 5th and then 17th be considered champions ? only in the world of money making capitalism .
Of course that wasn’t enough so new competitions were formed to encompass even more teams on the gravy train so 6th ,7th , and 12th are involved in European football
Then you have the national leagues that are a scramble to get to the big money competitions and in the scramble tradition is pushed to one side . To access more cash the Premier was formed , it squashed the football league and the F.A Cup both pushed to the sidelines. To get the fixtures in football is now played and televised virtually every day of the week. Supporter’s interests are also pushed to one side with matches scheduled at silly times where often away fans have to watch games that finish after the last train home has gone .
It has taken 30 plus years but the effects are being felt as teams from the lower leagues go broke including some that originally formed the very competition that is now being destroyed.
Sadly in my opinion it will continue with more games , more television interference , more players , more money at the top and more bankruptcies at the bottom.
In the meantime “”We are top of the League “”
Well said…
Would love to see Gabriel Jesus play some football for us and win some trophies.
You might yet.. 😜
I’m hopeful Rico, as always…