After a glimpse of hope was injected into Arsenal FC on transfer deadline day, things are going the other direction and quickly for Arsene Wenger and the Gunners. The 31st of August saw the Gunners snag Mikel Arteta, Yossi Benayoun, Andre Santos, Park Chu-Young and Per Mertesacker, but many still feel that they didn’t bring in Champions League quality players. After recent injury woes to two of club’s top players, Jack Wilshere and Thomas Vermaelen, Wenger will surely be thinking that things could not possibly get any worse.
The good news for the Gunners is that their next two English Premier League fixtures are against newcomers Swansea City and Blackburn Rovers. The bad news, they have to go to Signal Eduna Park to take on Mario Gotze and Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League on the 13th of September. A point would be golden for the Gunners in that affair. But let’s get back to Jack Wilshere and Thomas Vermaelen.
Wilshere recently aggravated an ankle injury that has been nagging him since the preseason and could miss up to three months. The best case scenario is that he is expected to be out until November. The loss of Wilshere is a massive blow for Arsenal’s midfield, especially since the club lost Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri in the summer.
England boss Fabio Capello has come under some scrutiny and blame for Wilshere’s injury. Albeit, the Italian manager refuses to take the blame for Wilshere’s injury setback; Wenger and the Gunners faithful may beg to differ. According to ESPN.com, Capello is confident that Wilshere was fit when he was selected to the Three Lions squad.
“When I selected him, he was fit. During a game, it can happen, it’s normal. People get shoulder, knee, head injuries. Something can happen in a tackle. It happened. When he started the game he was fit. If he hadn’t been, he wouldn’t have played.
“I spoke with the doctor. I know that he suffered the same two years ago.
“It’s true he suffered this accident against Switzerland. Afterwards he went on holiday. It’s not my job to say what happened but I hope he will be fit in a really short time for Arsenal and for us because he is a really important player for both.”
If Wilshere was indeed at full fitness, surely Capello cannot be blamed for the accident. But after getting just one point from their first three Premier League games of the season (good enough for a minus eight goal difference), Gunners management and supporters are quick to point the finger.
The story of Thomas Vermaelen seems to be poisoned with the word “injury”. The Belgian defender simply cannot stay fit. This time, it’s his Achilles. Vermaelen will be sidelined two months after having surgery on his left Achilles, a huge blow for an Arsenal side that has had problems at the back even with their star defender. Luckily — and I use that word extremely loosely — Arsenal were able to sign German international Per Mertesacker on transfer deadline day. That will surely ease tensions in North London for the time being. However, as long as Johan Djourou is on the pitch, Gunners supporters should be “nervoush.”
Arsenal may be able to quell without Vermaelen and Wilshere, but not for long. Without them, Arsenal will definitely have a tough time topping their group in the Champions League. Borussia Dortmund will surely fancy their chance against the Gunners on the 13th of September, and may just be good enough to top the group. Who’s going to step up for the Gunners? Perhaps new signing Mikel Arteta?
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