November 8th 2024.
Arsenal's manager, Mikel Arteta, is facing a number of injury concerns ahead of their highly-anticipated London derby against Chelsea on Sunday. In a recent interview, Arteta admitted that he could only provide vague updates on the fitness of their star player, Declan Rice. Rice, who is Arsenal's record signing, missed their midweek match against Inter in the Champions League and there have been reports that he is dealing with a broken toe. Despite the injury, Rice is determined to play through the pain in order to help his team break their losing streak and get back on track.
Arteta stated, "I have to be very vague on that one because there is no clarity, if he is going to be fit or not for the weekend. He hasn't trained yet and it is not clear yet whether he is going to be available." However, the manager seemed more optimistic about the potential availability of Kai Havertz and Mikel Merino, who both failed to complete 90 minutes in their midweek match. Arteta said, "We have to wait and see how they react. Kai's was quite a nasty cut. Mikel wasn't feeling great and we decided to substitute him at half-time."
In more positive news, Martin Odegaard made his long-awaited comeback as a late substitute in the midweek match. The Arsenal captain had been out for 12 games due to an ankle ligament injury sustained while playing for his country in September. Arteta is hopeful that Odegaard's return will coincide with an improvement in their team's performance. The manager stated, "Everybody that is in the squad will be fit and available to start the game. Then it is a decision to see if it is too early."
Arteta also acknowledged the importance of having Odegaard back in the squad, saying, "It's about the collective and everybody taking ownership. Certainly having a player like Martin helps because he has shown what an impact he has over the last four, five years." However, the decision to start Odegaard will depend on his fitness and performance in training. Arteta added, "He's always very close and active with the team. He knows his role and responsibility. It is different but the team had no issues at all. We have to adapt a lot this season because we have a lot of injuries. That is something the team is learning and adapting to. The team has the capacity to adjust."
In conclusion, Arteta addressed the challenges his team has faced this season due to a high number of injuries, but remained optimistic about their ability to adapt and overcome. He said, "We have to adapt a lot this season because we have a lot of injuries. That is something the team is learning and adapting to. A lot of the times it has worked and a lot of times something is missing. The team has the capacity to adjust." Despite these challenges, the team is determined to bounce back and Odegaard's return will surely add some much-needed strength and skill to the squad.
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