Photo from Freepik.
Morning all.
It was the night Bukayo Saka returned…..
I didn’t watch the game, just the briefest of highlights. Any three points at this stage of the season when securing second place is the best Arsenal can realistically achieve domestically are welcome.
Mikel Merino scored our opening goal before the boy wonder came off the bench to head home our second. It’s a good job he did too because Fulham scored in the dying minutes of the game.
Whilst the focus is likely to be on Bukayo Saka’s return, let’s not forget Mikel Merino’s impact on the game. He’s being asked to play in an unfamiliar position in the team and yet again, he delivered.
Right after scoring, Saka ran to the Arsenal bench to give Sam Wilson a big hug. He’s the guy who has helped our winger through his recovery.
Mikel Arteta on the reaction Saka gave to Sam Wilson after scoring:
As a manager I’m part of the staff. We all love this kind of recognition and gestures because it goes beyond the professional side of it. There is a connection there that is so necessary and to be able to appreciate as well the amount of work, stress and responsibility that they have to go through because they will be like this. I hope everything goes well and the work that we’ve done is going to work. So, I was very pleased with that.
It’s great to see Saka back where he belongs, even better to see him score but sadly, this turned out to be a game which saw both Gabriel and Jurrien Timber suffer what appear to be serious injuries. A hamstring injury for Gabriel, a knee injury for Timber.
Just like that, we’re scuppered in defence.
The thought of facing Real Madrid without the above two is scary, heck, it’s scary to think of playing Everton without them at the weekend, especially as both Ben White and Riccardo Calafiori are unavailable as well.
This season has been one of the worst for injuries, if not the worst. It seems each time we get ourselves into a good position, injury strikes. We had it with William Saliba a couple of seasons ago, last season too with Thomas Partey and Jurrien Timber missing most of the season and this time around, well, it began with Merino and hasn’t let up since.
If Ben White doesn’t fully recover in time for the trip to Everton, it’s likely we’ll be back to seeing Thomas Partey at right back which isn’t good for him or the team. Jakub Kiwior will step in to the centre of defensive I’m sure and one can only hope he does really well.
Short one today, life sometimes gets in the way. Lol
Catch up in the comments.