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By Tony Attwood
Of course when we say “Arsenal” start preparations that is a bit of an exaggeration since there were something like 15 Arsenal players at the World Cup in the USA and the rules say that they now have to have their holiday, even if they didn’t actually play any part of the world cup.
But it does mean that the injured players do have an extra chance to get themselves ready. Ben White is said to be in full training and Jurrien Timber is in rehab having had a minor operation at the start of the summer break. He is joined by Myles Lewis-Skelly, plus the loanees from last season Ethan Nwaneri, Fabio Vieira and Reiss Nelson, and those who didn’t make it to the world cup such as Gabriel Jesus, Riccardo Calafiori, Christian Norgaard, and Cristhian Mosquera.
When we add in the new signing Illan Meslier and the other goalkeepers we’ve almost go a team – although they would be forced to play against the juniors. Mind you considering that would include Marli Salmon and Max Downman that is getting on for a squad. The rest of the places can be made up with members of the under 21s who will be playing practice games until the world cup men return.
Now that might seem a bit like passing the time of day, but in fact it is in these pre-season games at a time like this that players get a chance to show they can shine – and sometimes even that they can play in unexpected roles.
And given that Arsenal had 15 players in the international thing this summer there will be a regular stream of players returning from their hols, once their three weeks are up.
Of course we know that Leandro Trossard has gone, but others will be drifting back day by day until we get to the eight players who were involved in the final weekend of the worldie thing. They will return on Monday 10th August, and then obviously start getting themselves back to fitness. Now that group includes Saka and Rice, each of whom were at the WC but recovering from injury. It remains to be seen if they were rushed back too quickly, and then now suffering from further physical problems.
Equally there were three Spanish players involved (Raya, Zubimendi and Merino) and there is no telling quite when they will be back. We do know of course that Saliba will be out for a long while, and Arsenal may indeed feel inclined to buy a player to replace him, given that there are spaces in the 25 man squad.
For the rset it is a case of waiting and seeing what condition they are in upon there return – these players being Magalhaes, Martinelli, Havertz, Odegaard, Piero Hincapie and Gyokeres – and of course those whose countries lost in the quarter finals will be back sooner rather than later for the training camp in Spain. The matches are planned against Girona, Real Betis, Borussia Dortmund, and then Comoa managed by Cesc Fabregas – that game is at the Arsenal Stadium.
The friendlies continue until the Community Shield game against Manchester City on 16 August, which is being played in Cardiff – I presume Wembley is being repaired or something. Last season it was happily played on 10 August, and I wonder if the League forgot to tell Wembley that it wanted to put the date back to the 16th, and when they did tell them it was found that Wembley had already taken a booking.
For an event as big as the Community Shield game that seems incredibly naff and stupid. It would be nice to know who made such an enormous cock-up and what punishment they have suffered if any, but of course, this being football administration, we are never told.
Also if you are a regular reader here you’ll know that we were taken aback when the Arsenal club doctor got the chop. But the new man has been appointed (Arnaldo Abrantes) who was apparently previously with the Villa, so he should be handing out the aspirin. Apparently we have also got a new “rehabilitation specialist” (Eneko Angulo
The new hires include ex-Olympic sprinter Arnaldo Abrantes, joining from Aston Villa as club doctor. As you may recall we reported earlier that Dr Zafar Iqbal plus Tom Allen and Sam Wilson both left the club. Dr Iqbal left just before the deadline for dismissals without reason under UK employment law which we found rather curious.
So maybe we will see an improvement in recovery times as well as fitness.
