Photo from Arsenal.com
Morning all.
The international break couldn’t have come at a better time, something I’ve often read when Arsenal have had a negative result before many players go off to represent their respective countries. It’s not a sentiment I necessarily agree with though because after Saturday’s awful showing, I think it would be better if Arsenal players and coaching staff were together and working out what went so horribly wrong and how to ensure it doesn’t happen again any time soon. This wasn’t just one or two players having an off day, it was worse. Mikel Arteta had an off day too because he sat and watched it for over an hour.
Brighton was Arsenal’s first really big test this season and sadly, that test was failed with a capital F!
But, it’s one defeat, no more, no less and as much as we all might be cheesed off, for our own sanity, it’s best to forget it. Unless of course it becomes the norm rather than the exception. I see no reason why it should be. Personally, I think Arsenal cocked up in the summer transfer window and that’s not because of Saturday but because of not replacing Gabriel Martinelli. Not replacing the pace he possesses.
Again though, it is what it is and like us, Arteta has to deal with it.
But going back to the international break, Arsenal have a large number of players who be away:
Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Ebe Eze, Ezri Konsa and Myles Lewis-Skelly – England
David Raya, Mikel Merino and Martin Zubimendi – Spain
Gabriel and Bruno Guimarães – Brazil
Martin Odegaard – Norway
Viktor Gyokeres – Sweden
Christos Tzolis – Greece
Kai Havertz – Germany
Jurrien Timber – Netherlands
Riccardo Calafiori- Italy
Ceadach O’Neill – Northern Ireland
Max Dowman, Ifeoluwa Ibrahim and Marli Salmon are on duty for the England under 19’s and 18’s. Other younger Arsenal players are away with their respective countries too but I’ve only listed those who have been involved with the first team this season.
The next three weeks will certainly give Ben White, Piero Hincapie and William Saliba more recovery time and hopefully we’ll see two of them return after the break, leaving just Saliba on the injury list.
The Sweden fixtures are the ones I’m hoping to watch over the next couple of weeks because I’m interested in seeing how our striker plays. What would benefit him, his country and Arsenal is that he gets his mojo back because Arsenal need him back and firing. Oh, and playing!
Four international fixtures take place within an 11/12 day period for European countries which is ridiculous in my opinion. I get the reasoning behind it but I do think it’s too much for the players, especially after a summer World Cup. Brazil only have three fixtures and all are friendlies.
One can only hope that the managers use their common sense when it comes to rotation of players.
I’m away on holiday this week so posts will be limited.
Catch up later.