Who is still alive, who is already injured and who can still get injured?

By Walter Broeckx

Despite my own personal world cup boycott I do keep an eye on it of course. The reason why I do this is because a world cup can have a big impact on the next season. Just ask Liverpool…

But of course when clubs are going to miss players from playing Fufa matches it usually is not from biting an opponent. Or should I say from ‘falling in to an opponent’ as Suarez tried to explain it. And by this he got from me the honour of being the best stand up comedian from the last decade if not century. I don’t know if he was sitting when he said it or standing up but my God he will never get rid of biting people with an attitude like that.

The first step from getting rid of whatever condition he has should be accepting that you do it. A bit like someone addicted to alcohol or other drugs. As long as he denies that he is doing it wrong, he will never even consider of doing something about the condition. I fear for Suarez. Good luck with such a player and such a mentality, Liverpool.

But enough of him. The main reason a team can lose a player is by injuries. Let’s have a look at the different teams and see if they are still in it = can still get injures. Or are out and safe for the moment. Or are out but are also injured.

So which teams are out of the tournament that have Arsenal players in them? And this is on the moment of writing of course as we are in the knock out phase and now things can change quickly.

England are out. Jack seemed to be OK and Oxlade-Chamberlain was injured but close to fitness we were told. So we can assume they will be ready when pre season starts or thereabouts and will be ready for when things really start to matter.

Spain is out. So Santi Cazorla should also be completely available around the start of the season and will be ready to play in the Community shield.

But that is it for the moment. All the other teams that have Arsenal players in their squad are still in the tournament for the moment.

First we start with Switzerland. Djourou is still officially an Arsenal player but the word on the street (not really in my street to be honest) is that he will be staying in Germany after this season. And to be honest I do think they will be going home after the next round. I think Argentina will be a bit too much for them.

Costa Rica who seem to be one of the surprises of the tournament and who have in Joel Campbell one of the discovery players of the tournament. Of course Wenger knew about him for a while, bought him and then the “wise  heads” who give work permits declared that he wasn’t that special after all and wouldn’t be allowed to play in the PL.

That seems to be set right now but one can wonder what a difference it would have made if Wenger would have had the chance to work with him in London and help him develop even faster? And between typing this article and publishing it  Costa Rico has won against Greece. What I have seen and I have put aside my personal boycott to have a look at Campbell is maybe stuff  for another article with my view on Joel Campbell. Campbell is on the still can get injured list.

We have Belgium. Half the country is standing on their head after 3 rather bleak matches but they were won and so all is right. Apart from the fact that a team that has so many outstanding players in it should be able to perform a bit better and not just play rather crap as I have been told and have watched a few times when I was at the house of other people who turned the football on.  But to keep up the “good” tradition we can confirm that Vermaelen is injured. So  nothing new then. Just as last summer he got injured playing for Belgium and now again. How nice….

Then we move on to France who have been very impressive. I wouldn’t be surprised if they won the tournament. The last time I went on a holiday to France was just after they won the world cup in their own country. And lo and behold… I booked a holiday again in France this year. And even at the same place as I did the last time! So all is set for a repeat. Our two Arsenal players are fine as far as I could find any news about them. Koscielny and Giroud don’t start every match which is maybe not fine for them but is great new for me as an Arsenal supporter. But I do expect them to go a long way still so they might not be ready for the pre season start and only come really back around halfway through August. Bugger.

And finally the team with the most Arsenal players in it. And also a team that by some experts is tipped to go all the way. Mertesacker is fit and playing every minute as usual. Özil is fit and seems to be doing fine.  But alas Podolski has a little injury sustained in the match against the USA and is out for the next match at least. A little muscular tear it seems. And that is not so good news for me. Of course they have the German ‘wunder doctor” Muller-Wohlfart at their disposal and he can do the most amazing tricks with players. So I hope that Podolski will be fit again in this world cup and then will be ready for next season.

So fine should be: Jack, The Ox and Santi.

Maybe fine could be: Djourou (if he stays),

Possibly not ready at the start of pre season would be: Campbell, Koscielny, Özil, Mertesacker and Giroud

Down, out and injured are: Vermaelen and Podolski

You got to love the world cup, don’t you….

Love the game, hate Fifa.

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