Mikel Arteta’s ‘nightmare eight weeks’ – how bad has it been for Arsenal? | OneFootball

Mikel Arteta said after Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea that it has been a “nightmare eight weeks” for him and his Arsenal side due to continued problems with suspensions and injuries.

The Gunners’ season so far has undoubtedly been damaged by the persistent absence of key players, most notably Martin Odegaard who made his first start since August in the draw with Chelsea and made a big difference for his team.

But how much have these issues impacted Arsenal? Here’s a look back at the “nightmare” first third of the Premier League campaign Arteta was referring to…

The season so far

Sat 17th August: Arsenal 2 Wolves 0

Players absent: Kieran Tierney (injured), Takehiro Tomiyasu (injured)

Sat 24th August: Aston Villa 0 Arsenal 2

Players absent: Mikel Merino (injured), Kieran Tierney (injured), Takehiro Tomiyasu (injured)

An early season blow for the Gunners as new signing Mikel Merino is ruled out for the next few weeks with a shoulder injury sustained in training.

Saturday 31 August: Arsenal 1 Brighton 1

Players absent: Kieran Tierney (injured), Takehiro Tomiyasu (injured), Mikel Merino (injured), Gabriel Jesus (injured)

Gabriel Jesus is added to the injury list with a groin problem and Arsenal suffer the first of their three red cards this season, with Declan Rice controversially sent off for a second yellow.

Sunday 15 September: Tottenham 0 Arsenal 1

Players absent: Oleksandr Zinchenko (injured), Kieran Tierney (injured), Takehiro Tomiyasu (injured), Mikel Merino (injured), Martin Odegaard (injured), Declan Rice (suspended)

Arsenal manage to beat their rivals without the midfield pair of the suspended Rice and injured Odegaard, who will not play again until November with the ankle injury he suffered on international duty.

Sunday 22 September: Man City 2 Arsenal 2

Players absent: Kieran Tierney (injured), Oleksandr Zinchenko (injured), Takehiro Tomiyasu (injured), Martin Odegaard (injured), Mikel Merino (injured)

Arsenal are denied victory by a last gasp John Stones goal having played the entire second half with ten men after Leandro Trossard was sent off.

Saturday 28 September: Arsenal 4 Leicester 2

Players absent: Ben White (injured), Kieran Tierney (injured), Oleksandr Zinchenko (injured), Takehiro Tomiyasu (injured), Martin Odegaard (injured), Mikel Merino (injured)

Ben White joins Arsenal’s growing injury list. Trossard is available having served his suspension in the Carabao Cup.

Saturday 5 October: Arsenal 3 Southampton 1

Players absent: Jurrien Timber (injured), Ben White (injured), Kieran Tierney (injured), Oleksandr Zinchenko (injured), Martin Odegaard (injured)

Merino and Tomiyasu return to the squad following their injuries but are replaced on the injury list by Timber.

Saturday 19 October: Bournemouth 2 Arsenal 0

Players absent: Bukayo Saka (injured), Jurrien Timber (injured), Kieran Tierney (injured), Martin Odegaard (injured)

Arsenal are without their talisman Bukayo Saka after suffering a hamstring injury on England duty for a game in which William Saliba becomes the third Arsenal player to be sent off this season, with the Gunners going on to lose.

Sunday 27 October: Arsenal 2 Liverpool 2

Players absent: Kieran Tierney (injured), Martin Odegaard (injured), Riccardo Calafiori (injured) William Saliba (suspended)

Saliba’s suspension is compounded by an injury to Calafiori as Arsenal opt to shift White into the middle of defence and play Thomas Partey at right-back.

Saturday 2 November: Newcastle 1 Arsenal 0

Players absent: Kieran Tierney (injured), Riccardo Calafiori (injured), Takehiro Tomiyasu (injured), Martin Odegaard (injured)

Sunday 10 November: Chelsea 1 Arsenal 1

Players absent: Kieran Tierney (injured), Riccardo Calafiori (injured), Takehiro Tomiyasu (injured)

Martin Odegaard makes his long-awaited return to the starting line-up but there is still no Calafiori. Saka and Rice limp off during the game and are doubtful for the internationals with England.

A nightmare two months?

There is certainly, and unsurprisingly, a correlation between players missing and the dip in results. A healthier Arsenal started the season off strongly and Odegaard’s importance to the team is clear to see, though the fact Arteta is so reliant on one player is an issue in itself.

There have been injuries to other regular starters too including Saka, White, Timber, Calafiori and Merino which have hurt the team. The issue for Arteta has not just been players being absent, however, but also his key players playing when they are not fully fit and therefore not at their best. Tiredness and fatigue due to the packed schedule has been much spoken about of late, with Pep Guardiola venting similar frustrations to Arteta and this is by far from a problem that is specific only to Arsenal.

The biggest issue though has undoubtedly been the red cards. It’s impossible to say how those games would have turned out had the players in question stayed on the pitch but it is a fair assessment to say they would not be as many as nine points behind Liverpool.

A crucial international break

“I’m praying that after the international break we have the team fully physically equipped,” Arteta said after the draw with Chelsea. “That they are available and that they are fit, because, it’s been a nightmare for eight weeks.

“Doubt after doubt, issue after issue, not only with the ones that are not able to play, but with the ones who are able to play only for certain moments and not able to play. I’m just asking that, because the desire the team has and how much we want it there’s no question. It’s going to come.”

This international break is a big one for Arsenal and Arteta will be selfishly hoping his players get some kind of rest rather than playing every minute for their countries.

Saka and Rice are doubtful for England are limping off against Chelsea and it also remains to be seen whether Odegaard plays any part for Norway having just returned from injury.

Not only will Arteta be hoping he can get the players who have struggled with injuries and their fitness in better shape over the break, but avoiding further problems will be vital too, given Odegaard and Saka have both missed games as a result of injuries they suffered while playing for their countries this season.