Morning.
It’s still all about the injuries and the Interlull this morning. Let’s start with Kai Havertz who played one half of Germany’s 2-1 win over Ghana, and scored a penalty just before the break to put his side 1-0 up. We all have our fears about players going away, but he – along with Ben White – feels like one of those who could benefit from some playing time.
When you’ve spent the best part of a year on the sidelines, it’s normal that it takes some time to find your rhythm again. Since making his return in January, he has yet to complete 90 minutes in any game, and you could see from the Carabao Cup final that there’s still a way to go in terms of his match fitness and sharpness when up against top quality opposition. He did just over an hour last Friday, and another 45 last night, so these minutes with Germany will hopefully be really useful for him, and for us, when we get back down to the business after the break.
Meanwhile, there was better news than I had expected around Noni Madueke who looks set to miss a couple of games (Southampton and Sporting away), but is hoped to be back after that. It’s not difficult to fear the worst when you see a player limping away from the stadium in a leg brace, so fingers crossed that news is accurate. We need all hands on deck for this run in.
Thomas Tuchel also spoke about Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka, having been pressed on their returns to Arsenal, and said:
We knew after the Carabao Cup final that there are issues. They were in treatment. But they both came. Declan was even out on the pitch. He did not come and say, ‘Guys, I’m going home.’ I heard there were camps where players did not even show up with boots. Bukayo did sessions in the gym to really try. Declan had a session on the pitch with Jude and said it doesn’t feel right. Why would I take any risks?
They wanted desperately to be involved – just to get the narrative straight. But they were both clearly in discomfort. I still have 100% trust in the honesty of Declan and Bukayo. We did medical tests. I saw them. I have no reason to believe that either are not honest with me.
I know sometimes it feels like the media spotlight shines on Arsenal and Arsenal players more intensely than it does for others, but I really find it hard to understand why there’s been such focus on our players dropping out during this Interlull. Madueke was clearly hurt, and from what Tuchel says both Saka and Rice wanted to be there but common sense kicked in. I just don’t get what they want? Would they prefer these two hobble through a meaningless friendly with Japan to prove their bona fides, or be fit and ready for the World Cup to give their country a better chance of success?
If I were an England fan, I’d certainly be more invested in the latter, but if I was keen to see Arsenal stumble at the business end of the campaign, perhaps it’s the kind of thing I’d make a public issue about. I don’t think it’s exactly that per se, but between them, for club and country, Rice and Saka have played nearly 100 games this season. It’s staggering to me that anyone who has watched either of them play for Arsenal or for England might have the temerity to question their commitment in any way, but that’s part of the increasingly unfortunate world we live in, I guess.
It’s also worth pointing out that similar to when he spoke about Ben White and the idiotic boos directed his way, I think the way Tuchel handled it was excellent. For as long as I’ve been around, England’s international campaigns for World Cups and Euros have always been complicated by the fact that they don’t just have to contend with the opposition on the pitch, but a jingoistic, destructive element of the ‘home’ press who are a distraction at best, and at times engage in outright sabotage just so they can stick the knives in properly when things ultimately go wrong at whatever stage that happens.
Later tonight, the three current Arsenal players who have World Cup qualification at stake will be in action. Viktor Gyokeres and Sweden will face Poland (for whom Jakub Kiwior will play); Riccardo Calafiori’s Italy come up against Bosnia and Herzegovina; while Christian Norgaard and Denmark play Czechia. It’s winner takes all stuff, so good luck to the Gunners involved, but as I said previously, a clean bill of health is all I’m looking for from these games.
The Spanish duo of David Raya and Cristhian Mosquera might also be in action in a friendly against Egypt, and the aforementioned Ben White could get some more useful minutes if he plays for England against Japan. Fingers crossed for all of them.
I’ll leave it there for now. The Arsecast Extra is below if you haven’t had a chance to listen yet, and I’ll be back with more here tomorrow.