The Gunner’s right back Ben White has had surgery to face an ongoing problem in one of his joints. The 27 year old has been suffering from it for most of the campaign. He has still appeared in Arsenal‘s last games against Chelsea and Inter though. His problem limited him to a substitute appearance as Arsenal lost 1-0 to Newcastle on November 2.
Before the Newcastle game, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta spoke about White’s situation. He termed it “a little issue” and insisted that the player needed to be protected. White has not been available consistently this season due to his discomfort. He had missed games against Leicester, PSG, and Southampton early in the season. He was fit enough to come off the bench only in the 2-2 draw with Man City on September 22.
Injury Crisis At Arsenal
Injuries to several players have stretched the defensive options of the Gunners quite thin. The Gunners are currently missing Calafiori, Tomiyasu, and Tierney, in addition to White. Jurrien Timber, who had spent months out of action with a muscular injury, has only now returned to action. So, Arteta has to make do with limited defensive options.
Arteta has on and on expressed his frustration regarding the piling injury issues. In the wake of the 1-1 draw against Chelsea, he called the past eight weeks a “nightmare”. He was “praying” for an end to Arsenal’s fitness issues.
The injuries are not limited to defense. Odegaard, Saka, and Merino have also been sidelined. Things have been further complicated by the suspensions of Rice, Saliba, and Trossard. Saka and Rice suffered injuries during the Chelsea match and have since pulled out of England’s international squad.
A Challenging Schedule For Arsenal
The injury crisis is hitting Arsenal at a time when things are already tricky. The team is fourth in the EPL table and nine points behind Liverpool. The Gunners have a hard schedule following the international break. They host Nottingham Forest in the EPL on the 23rd of November. Then comes a UCL match against Sporting on November 26th. Then they are traveling to face West Ham on November 30, returning home to host Man Utd on December 4.
The depth of Arteta’s squad will be tested through this demanding fixture list. As key players are unavailable and only fit players can help navigate the period successfully.
Transfer Talks
During the current challenges, the Arsenal executives are flying out to the United States. There, they will meet the Kroenke family to address the January transfer window plans as well as summer transfer strategy. Another likely point of discussion is the replacement of Edu, who left as the sporting director of Arsenal recently.
Arteta previously mentioned that squad depth would be important. Especially since they would compete in multiple tournaments. Club transfer plans in January will thus likely focus on adding depth that helps to address injury challenges.
Role Of White In Arsenal
Ben White’s minor surgery is a big step for him to return to full fitness. His presence in defense is important as the Gunners looks to stay competitive in all competitions. Arteta has often depended on Ben’s versatility. As he has played both as a center back and as a right back. This will give the team much needed stability in the back.
Despite the challenges faced, the Gunner’s fans are smiling again. The team in this season has shown resilience and determination. The leadership by Arteta has made its best efforts to keep morale high despite the difficulties.
Conclusion
Arsenal must weather the storm to pursue success in this season. The team will have to dig deeper to cope with the crammed schedule and mounting injuries. Players such as White, once fully recovered, would play a key role to help the Gunners maintain its position in the league and in European competitions.
The road ahead is difficult. But Arsenal has always won from adversity. Fans of the team believe that after these struggles, they will come out to finish stronger than ever at the end of the season. Among other things, White alone would be a boost for them returning to the fray. From here, though, and going forward, the Gunners need to battle through a hard period with the resilience that so defines them.
Anyway, it will be interesting to know what the fans think about the current scenario of the Gunners. Can they bounce back after such an injury crisis? Can they finally get their hands on the EPL title? We are yet to know.
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