If you like to have a flutter on upcoming football fixtures, the Premier League is sure to be firmly in your sights and you’ve probably already been placing some wagers on the different teams taking part. Of course, as well as making sure you keep your eye on each Premier League current match, it’s also a great idea to examine the form of each team that will be taking the pitch, as there are no guarantees when it comes to who will score the winning goal. After all, even a team with such an illustrious history as Arsenal can have its fair share of problems and setbacks that could put its Premier League hopes in jeopardy.
Can Arsenal recover from its multiple injury misfortune?
Arsenal has been dogged by bad luck in the lead-up to this year’s Premier League, with several players struggling with injury not long before the League was due to begin.
Among them were the likes of Emile Smith Rowe, Ben White, and Kieran Tierney.
When it comes to injury, Tierney in particular has had a difficult few years since transferring from Celtic, having to go under the knife not long after he joined Arsenal after sustaining a double hernia. Earlier this year, he also sustained a knee injury while playing for the Scottish team. This injury was so severe that he was unable to finish the season. While he seems to have made a full recovery, there are some – including the legendary Jamie Carragher – who remain sceptical about his fitness.
Of course, Tierney hasn’t been the only player to fall prey to injury soon after joining the Gunners. Their exciting new Portuguese signing, Fabio Vieira, and his new teammate Takehiro Tomiyasu were also among the ranks of the injured.
Arteta remains unfazed
Vieira, who recently signed a long-term contract with Arsenal, had been struggling with a bone injury in the lead-up to the Premier League – a problem which could have caused the Gunners some substantial worry, considering the £34 million the club paid in order for him to join the squad.
However, coach Mikel Arteta seemed undaunted by this setback, saying that Viera’s injury was to do with “a slight problem in his bone” and revealing that the rising star would soon be back to training.
Commenting on his other injured team members, Arteta brushed off their troubles with similarly casual language, mentioning “a slight problem” – when speaking of Tierney – and explaining that Smith Rowe merely had “a muscular niggle”.
Arteta’s unflappable attitude seems to have been well-founded, as three of Arsenal’s injured squad have recently been spotted back in training, and Tierney and White have already featured in the Gunner’s first Premier League match.
Putting their best feet forward
Despite the unfortunate start to the Premier League, Arsenal remains undaunted by some of its players’ injury struggles, beating Crystal Palace in grand style on 2 August. This is a particularly remarkable victory considering the fact that Arsenal had previously failed to beat Crystal Palace in seven of their previous eight matches.
With such a robust start to the Premier League under their belt, it seems that their team’s injury battles haven’t stopped the Gunners in their tracks and they have made a swift recovery.