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The wreckage that the internationals are once again bringing to pre-season training has been made clear by the fact that Arsenal have been forced to divide their squad into four separate groups for pre-season training. At least no one has returned from the games with an injury.
In a real footballing world, Arsenal’s players would all get a month off playing and then return together as the Arsenal coaching squad oversee all the training of all the players in one go. But, no, this is the modern world and not the real world. So they are coming back in dribs and drabs and Arsenal get no compensation.
Group 1: These are the players who get a proper rest with their families or friends as they did not have any international games in the summer. Basically this is a group of four players, Gabriel Jesus Jurrien Timber Thomas Partey.Martin Odegaard. They are reportedly on a pre-pre-season training camp of their own in Marbella where the temperature is a pleasant 23 degrees centigrade.
Then up next we have the players who played for a country that got knocked out early on in the ludicrous internationals with all their administrative chaos both inside and outside of grounds in Europe and America. These players may well have been affected psychologically by what has been happening to fans and could well need some psychological help along the way. Hopefully, the Arsenal medical team is fully up to speed.
Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jakub Kiwior, are said to be joining the group on 21 July as will Kai Havertz. There is unfortunately no word on when Gabriel and Martinelli will join. Brazil were helpfully knocked out early on in their summer jaunt, and although 21 July might be too soon, they should be back before the end of the month.
However, it is suggested that goalkeeper Karl Hein will be part of the pre-season arrangements, although he could then go out on loan. Meanwhile although Raya only played one match for Spain he was training with the squad all the way through the tournament and so will have started his summer break late. It is suggested that another Arsenal goalkeeper, Lucas Nygaard, who is 18 could also be on the Arsenal pre-season tour.
On the other hand Saka and Rice who played for England right to the bitter end will miss the pre-season training altogether and won’t join Arsenal until sometime in August. They will probably not be ready for the game against Leverkusen on 7 August, but might get a run as a sub against Lyon on 11 August, and could then be in contention for the Wolverhampton game on 17 August – or at least be on the bench.
Meanwhile Aaron Ramsdale is still on the club’s books and was part of the England squad this summer, so assuming he is still with Arsenal, he too will be returning late.
Elsewhere there are several young players who will be hoping for a chance to step up with some of the senior players missing. Top of the list are probably Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly are both in contention for the matches in America, and it is being suggested that Ayden Heaven who has been at the club a number of years making his way through the age groups could now be mixing with the first team squad.
All of this leaves out Smith Rowe, Nelson and Nketiah who are all said (by the media if no one else) to be leaving. As yet none of them has gone. Meanwhile apparently Gilberto Silva and Theo Walcott from days gone by are travelling with the squad, in order to do some interviews and hence take media pressure off the players. Gilberto is considered a club ambassador (he obviously speaks Portuguese and English, and I think Greek as well), and as you may have seen/heard, Theo is particularly eloquent (in English) speaking about football on the media.
Arsenal are playing Bournemouth, Manchester United, and Liverpool on their American tour. After that it is games against
Am just glad that none of our players were injured during the break.