Arsenal have been recruiting heavily in the last summer transfer window and the impact of the move didn’t just affect the quality of the squad. This has also made the team better known internationally.
Usually only a small handful of players say goodbye during international match dates, with newcomers and the convocation of a large number of younger squad members. Mikel Arteta has 16 squad members traveling with their countries.
As promising as this is for the talents on the team, historically these are also the times when the injury disease ravages Arsenal. The squad seldom gathers again with full force. You can already hear Arsene Wenger groaning.
Of course, with players in the books of continents around the world, this means a lot of travel for certain people. Two stand out in particular: Takehiro Tomiyasu and Thomas Partey.
Arsenal double fitness concerns for Tomiyasu and Partey, supported by their schedule with Crystal Palace on Monday and without European football
For the former, he will travel all the way to Australia for Japan’s World Cup qualifiers on Tuesday before flying back to London. It’s a journey that can take 24 hours.
Partey, meanwhile, is with the Ghana squad for their away trip to Zimbabwe on the same day, with the return flight to the UK taking over 12 hours. Inadvertent journeys for Arteta for two crucial players. Hopefully no overnight stays in airports.
This is where Arsenal’s mistakes come to the rescue. After all, every cloud has a silver lining and on this occasion the lack of European football is doing the club a favor. Since there is no action during the week, the game against Crystal Palace is scheduled for Monday evening.
There would have been certain fears of fatigue for the couple and for others. Not now.
This ‘happiness’ is not what one wanted, but it is welcome. Arsenal should play European football. What matters, however, is that this is a hidden blessing: the recovery time, the extra workouts, fitness management, etc.
It makes it clear that Arteta and his team really have no excuses. That’s why the Brighton game had an added touch of disappointment, although in the end they happily slipped away on one point: there was a whole week of rest with just the lone injury. It shouldn’t be that flat.
With Crystal Palace coming on Monday, even with players traveling to the remotest parts of the world for 24 hours, the Premier League game doesn’t leave room for error on a weekend with European football in the middle of the week. Not to mention the game is taking place in the Emirates. Even fewer excuses.
