We are only in November and already it is the same old story as Arsenal’s injury list is mounting week by week. There are currently nine first team players out for the Gunners at the moment, and the main problem is that they are all crucial players to the team.
Laurent Koscielny and Hector Bellerin were the latest casualties when Arsenal crumbled to a 5-1 defeat against Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday night. Koscielny was left on the bench as a precaution with a minor hip injury and was sorely missed at the back, as Bayern ran riot. Whilst Bellerin has a thigh injury, and once more was hugely missed again at the back. Mathieu Debuchy came in at right back and was pretty poor.
Already Arsenal have key players such as Jack Wilshere, Danny Welbeck, Aaron Ramsey, Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Tomas Rosicky, David Ospina and Mikel Arteta all sidelined. With the likes of Wilshere and Welbeck not due back until at least the new year.
It is an all too familiar tale for Arsenal fans, as just when they feel that the team can really mount a strong title challenge, a large number of injuries to crucial players pile up all at the wrong time. Arsenal are in their strongest position they have ever been in to win the Premier League, with Chelsea completely out of the picture already and Manchester United lacking consistency. But the Gunners need all their key players fit and firing in order to claim their first title since 2004.
Though the injury crisis has given some players, like Joel Campbell the chance to shine, when he wouldn’t be able to if the likes of Walcott and Oxlade-Chamberlain were fit. The Costa Rican grabbed his first Arsenal goal in the 3-0 victory at Swansea last weekend, but was hardly in the game in Munich on Wednesday, being majorly criticised for his defensive work.
Arsenal really do have a chance to end that 11-year wait for the title this season, but the ‘injury curse’ is once again threatening to end their challenge before it has even started.
