How Arsenal’s XI will look after recent injury crisis.Arsenal are already facing a real crisis with injuries this season after losing Mikel Arteta, Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere after this weekend’s game against Tottenham Hotspur.
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Ramsey is the biggest blow, with the Welshman supposedly set to miss the next month or more, following a lengthy injury spell that saw him miss so much of last season as well.
Arteta and Wilshere may return after a few games, but Arsene Wenger is facing a real selection headache as he goes into a big game against Chelsea this week, with the returning Abou Diaby surely not yet fit enough to start in such a big Premier League game.
Here’s the only way Arsenal can think about lining up now, in what could make worrying reading for Gunners fans:
Goalkeeper and defence:
Although Wenger may be tempted to move Calum Chambers into midfield, the summer signing from Southampton will surely continue at right-back to fill in for the injured Mathieu Debuchy, with Spanish youngster Hector Bellerin not yet looking ready to be a regular at this level after being thrown in at the deep end against Borussia Dortmund in a recent Champions League clash.
Midfield:
Despite shining on the right flank recently, capping his display with the equalising goal against Tottenham, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain may now be Arsenal’s best option to drop back into midfield alongside Mathieu Flamini. The England international has played there before, with mixed results, and although it is far from ideal, it might be a safer bet than Diaby or Chambers.
Attack:
With Chamberlain dropping back into a deeper role, Arsenal should field what is still a strong-looking attacking four, with Alexis Sanchez starting on the right, Mesut Ozil in his preferred number 10 role to replace the absent Ramsey, with Santi Cazorla on the left-hand side. Ahead of them, Danny Welbeck will continue as first choice central striker in the absence of Olivier Giroud.
Arsenal makeshift XI in full: