Morning.

Nicely, if this isn’t the season that retains on giving. As we fear concerning the gamers who’ve gone away to play for his or her nations throughout this Interlull, information drops about an harm problem for a type of who has stayed behind. Ben White has undergone surgical procedure on his knee to appropriate a long-standing drawback, and is reportedly going to be out for one thing like 6-8 weeks.

I don’t suppose it’s an enormous shock. There was chat about him carrying a knock for a while, and simply a few weeks in the past, he was deemed not match sufficient to begin in opposition to Newcastle (however did come on for 20 minutes on the finish). He missed Premier League video games in opposition to Leicester and Southampton, the Champions League tie in opposition to PSG, and each EFL Cup ties this season thus far. For a man who was mainly ever-present final season, that advised you there was one thing happening.

The conclusion I drew was that he was being managed fairly rigorously all through this season thus far. Maybe Arsenal appeared on the fixture listing and thought the run of video games after this explicit Interlull made probably the most sense when it comes to timing, if he did must go beneath the knife. I perceive when folks ask why he didn’t have the surgical procedure through the summer season if this was an ongoing problem, I suppose the reply is that they’ve been doing every part they will to keep away from getting thus far. As a lot as attainable you wish to keep away from that possibility, however clearly now there was no different selection. All we will do is hope the operation has gone nicely, and the restoration is as fast and simple as attainable.

Knees will be difficult issues. We’ve talked lately about Gabriel Jesus and the way the knee harm he sustained on the World Cup has impacted his profession. Clearly I can’t say 100% as I don’t have his medical info, however he had a foul harm then two surgical procedures (one main, one minor), which could be a part of why he’s struggled since. The chances are there are myriad causes for Jesus’s decline, however on the useless centre of them is a knee harm and two operations, so fingers crossed for Ben White.

It actually provides Mikel Arteta a little bit of considering to do about how he units up on the fitting hand aspect any longer. The apparent substitute is Jurrien Timber who can play on the left to good impact, however who appears to be like to me extra dynamic on the fitting. Which ought to be no shock, he performed most of his profession earlier than becoming a member of us as a right-back or a right-sided centre-half, and though the pattern measurement is small, I believe his greatest efficiency for us got here there when he tore up and down the fitting aspect within the 4-2 win over Leicester. He ended that recreation with an help and seven key passes to his title, and for me he’s by far probably the most convincing possibility we now have accessible in White’s absence.

After that, I actually hope we get Takehiro Tomiyasu match as a result of he’s the subsequent greatest in that place. It’s a giant if, I realise. His harm points have been many and diverse, which is such a disgrace as a result of he’s a extremely good participant, so now could be a really, very helpful time for him to discover a interval of health and availability. The staff wants him.

It additionally implies that the left-hand aspect will likely be impacted. All going nicely, Riccardo Calafiori can keep match after the Interlull, as a result of that’s your first selection left-back proper there. If there are video games he has to take a seat out although, I’d favor Mikel Arteta went with one in every of his extra pure choices fairly than shifting folks out of place. Your mileage will fluctuate on how a lot we will or ought to depend on Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jakub Kiwior or Myles Lewis-Skelly at left-back, however I’d fairly one in every of them there and Timber on the fitting than extra of what we’ve seen at occasions this season.

Even right here, the presence of Tomiyasu could be so helpful, as a result of he and Timber are so versatile both of them might do the full-back jobs. Tomi on the left is one thing we’ve seen earlier than, and it has labored nicely, so I’m gonna preserve every part crossed he can play an element. Am I going to place a giant wager on him being accessible? No, I’m not as silly as I look, however I can hope all the identical.

Proper, that’s your lot for this morning. Now we have some gamers in worldwide motion afterward, so mild your candles and say your prayers. Again tomorrow with extra, in addition to a model new Arsecast.

Till then.

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