Arsenal huddle
Arsenal huddle
A player who travels but does not start is the version clubs prefer to a withdrawal. Availability is not the same as a full 90.
Managers talk about putting the same team out. Doctors decide whether that is responsible.
International windows end with a list of who was protected. That list matters more than the score in Prague.
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Ezri Konsa was in Thomas Tuchel’s squad for England’s 2-0 Nations League win in the Czech Republic but did not start and was not used. Tuchel had already said the Arsenal defender and Nico O’Reilly missed Monday’s group session.
“They missed training,” Tuchel said. “So that’s what you saw because of minor issues, but there are still issues and they need to be assessed.
“Ideally, I would love to put the same team out there, but I need to speak with doctors, physios, and the players themselves, what is responsible and what not.”
Konsa did fly. He was not risked. The fact the defender was in the squad is encouraging from an Arsenal point of view: available, not forced.
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Myles Lewis-Skelly started and played 45 minutes. Eberechi Eze replaced him at half-time. Bukayo Saka played 71 minutes.
England face Croatia on Saturday and host Czechia next Tuesday. All four Arsenal players in this squad could still add minutes before they return to London Colney.
Konsa joined in the summer and has been part of the defensive rotation while William Saliba works towards a late October return. Ben White, Cristhian Mosquera, Piero Hincapie and Jurrien Timber have all had fitness questions in this window. A “minor issue” that keeps a new centre-back on the bench is the conservative outcome Arteta will accept.
Tuchel wanted continuity after the 3-2 loss to Spain. He did not get it at centre-back. The win still arrived. The assessment continues.
Arsenal play Leeds at home on 10 October. Until Konsa trains fully with England or reports back clean, he stays on the watch list rather than the settled one. Unused in Prague is better than another scan. It is not the same as a clean bill.
Germany
Arsenal corner flag
Arsenal corner flag