I knew it was over.
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Arsenal lost 2-1 and missed the chance to go top of the Premier League – and Flamini says the Gunners in general have no excuses for defeat. The North London club have always had the potential to mount a title challenge in the previous seasons, but injuries to their several players in crucial stages of the campaign have let them down on many occasions.
French newspaper L’Equipe have a considerably more bleak diagnosis, and they claim that Coquelin will be out for at least three months with his knee injury.
Given the player’s decline, there was a strong case for letting Arteta go in the summer – and it was one articulated here. Arsenal was already without a slew of players, including Theo Walcott, Aaron Ramsey and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and immediately looked defensively weaker without Coquelin.
Now, the consequences of Wenger’s famous transfer conservatism are being played out.
The tough tackling ability and composure he brought to central midfield gave Arsenal the steel they have often missed throughout the years and frankly they do not have a direct replacement for him in the squad.
Arsenal are fearful that Francis Coquelin could face a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering knee ligament damage, as per the Guardian. Arsenal fans would likely have a different word for what exactly Arteta is.
Mathieu Flamini and Santi Cazorla are the only senior midfielders available while utility man Calum Chambers is capable of playing in the middle of the park. He makes fewer tackles, fewer interceptions and he completes fewer passes.
Albion ended up winning 2-1, despite having just one shot on target. “We were incredibly unlucky and never deserved to lose”, Wenger told Sky Sports. Cazorla will need to play with total confidence that night.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger will however, welcome back Hector Bellerin who is available after recovering from a groin injury.
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As it turned out, Clattenburg had penalised the midfielder for taking two touches as he slipped; with the rules not allowing a penalty taker to touch the ball again until another player has done so.
