Morning all, it’s a wet, grey Saturday in Dublin and despite the fact there’s probably glorious sunshine in Dubai, there’s a bit of a cloud hanging over the Arsenal training camp this morning.
That’s because we got news last night that Gabriel Martinelli could be out for ‘more than a month’ after picking up a hamstring strain against Newcastle on Wednesday night. Obviously that’s not ideal in any circumstance, but coming just a day or so after the transfer window closed in a month when Arsenal chose not to bolster the forward line, it brings that decision well and truly back into the spotlight.
With Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus sidelined as well, it means that our remaining front three options from the official first team list are Kai Havertz, Leandro Trossard and Raheem Sterling. Ethan Nwaneri (along with Myles Lewis-Skelly) are currently listed as midfielders in the Academy section.
Speaking before that Carabao Cup semi-final, Mikel Arteta was asked about what he had to work with in attack after the chequebook remained closed, and he said:
We’re going to have to be very flexible in the frontline and now the ones that we have, make sure they stay fit and keep contributing. Leo can play in that position, Raheem has played in that position, Ethan I think can play in that position, Martinelli can play there so let’s see in relation to how everybody is; the moment and opponent, but at some point, we’re going to have to try something different.
‘Make sure they stay fit and keep contributing’ – Sssshhh, Mikel. Don’t say anything out loud for the rest of the season. More than a month for Martinelli would see him miss the games against Leicester (A), West Ham (H), Nottingham Forest (A), and call into question his availability for the trip to Old Trafford and the visit of Chelsea – after which we go into the March Interlull where any remaining players we have will be crippled by some ogres on swamp-like pitches across Europe and beyond.
I suppose the one thing to say is that it makes team selection pretty simple for Arteta. His ability to try something different has been scuppered by this Martinelli injury, and a front three of Trossard on the left, Havertz in the middle, and Nwaneri on the right is the best we have available to us right now. In that sense, it’s a real opportunity for the 17 year old who has demonstrated his quality this season, but will now have a chance to show he can do it with some consistency.
The biggest problem is obviously the fact that it leaves us with very little on the bench if we need to change a game or badly need a goal. I feel a bit like a broken record when it comes to Raheem Sterling, but he just doesn’t look like someone who can contribute at this level any more. If you could pick one player to come back from Dubai feeling invigorated and like their old self, it would be him, but that’s really, really long shot. Beyond that, I know some young players have gone out – Nathan Butler-Oyedeji and Ismeal Kabia are the two attackers who have featured a bit this season – but how ready the manager thinks they are is another thing.
I guess, in the absence of anyone else, you probably have to gamble a bit on one of them at the expense of a left-back when you’re picking your squad. Unless there’s something in Arteta’s mind about moving pieces around in a way we don’t expect. Is there, perhaps, a way to shift Myles Lewis-Skelly further forward knowing you can use Riccardo Calafiori at left-back? I know it doesn’t do much for the front three, but beyond sticking a big lad up top – Rice, Merino – in desperation, I don’t know what else there is. Kieran Tierney as a left-winger? Carlos Vela is out of contract, bring him home to chip us to the title.
Anyway, as I said, it’s far from ideal and it feels absolutely typical of this season so far. Hopefully Martinelli’s absence is not as long as the reporting says, and he’s back sooner than that, but until then Arteta has a headache that won’t be cured by a sprinkly-salt-meat-wanker feeding him bits of overly-expensive rib-eye in his crap restaurant, that’s for sure.
For some extra reading this morning, Tim’s column on media coverage of Myles Lewis-Skelly this week is essential.
Have a great Saturday folks, more here tomorrow.
