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Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny set to undergo tests on achilles injury Arsenal’s Laurent Koscielny returns from France duty because of injury
(about 2 hours later)
Arsène Wenger has been left to digest yet another injury setback, with Laurent Koscielny having returned from international duty with France because of achilles trouble. The Arsenal manager, Arsène Wenger, has been left to digest yet another injury setback, with Laurent Koscielny having returned from international duty with France because of achilles trouble.
The Arsenal defender has struggled with pain in the tendons on both of his feet, with reports in France saying that he has acute tendinitis. Given that Koscielny is one of only two specialist senior centre-halves at the club – Per Mertesacker is the other – Wenger can ill afford to be without him. Arsenal, though, say that Koscielny’s problem is not serious, he has returned to London only as a precaution and they are hopeful that he will regain fitness in time for the Premier League fixture at home to Hull City on Saturday week. The defender has struggled with pain in the tendons of both feet, with the French football federation announcing in a statement he “has been suffering with chronic tendinitis of both achilles tendons for several months”. The FFF said that it had not noted any “favourable changes” since Koscielny linked up with the squad and “after discussion with the player and Franck Le Gall, doctor of the France team, Didier Deschamps decided to release Koscielny to his club”.
Koscielny is one of only two specialist senior centre-halves at the club – Per Mertesacker is the other – and Wenger can ill afford to be without him. Arsenal, though, say Koscielny’s problem is not serious, he has returned to London only as a precaution and they are hopeful he will regain fitness in time for the Premier League game at home to Hull City on 18 October.
France are the hosts of Euro 2016; they qualify automatically and they will play only friendlies until the finals. Koscielny will miss the ones against Portugal on Saturday and Armenia on Tuesday.France are the hosts of Euro 2016; they qualify automatically and they will play only friendlies until the finals. Koscielny will miss the ones against Portugal on Saturday and Armenia on Tuesday.
Wenger sold the centre-back Thomas Vermaelen to Barcelona in the summer and he said that he would sign a specialist replacement. But he aborted the plan after Calum Chambers, who is nominally a right-back, impressed in central defence in the early matches of the season. Wenger sold the centre-back Thomas Vermaelen to Barcelona in the summer and he said that he would sign a specialist replacement. However, he aborted the plan after Calum Chambers, who is nominally a right-back, impressed in central defence in the early matches of the season. Wenger is already without the right-back Mathieu Debuchy until Christmas because of a serious ankle injury and if Calum Chambers is needed to cover for Koscielny in central defence, the manager’s only other specialist option at right-back is the 19-year-old academy prospect Héctor Bellerín.
Wenger came to consider the 19-year-old, bought from Southampton, as adequate cover in the position while he also feels that the left-back Nacho Monreal can play in the centre of defence if required. Wenger came to consider the 19-year-old Chambers, bought from Southampton, as adequate cover in the position, while he also feels that the left-back Nacho Monreal can play in the centre of defence if required. The more general worry is the strain that is being placed on the same defenders to play in every game.
The problem is that it does not take many defensive injuries to make Arsenal look stretched. Wenger is already without the right-back Mathieu Debuchy until Christmas time because of a serious ankle injury and if Chambers is needed to cover for Koscielny in central defence, the manager’s only other specialist option at right-back is the 19-year-old academy prospect Héctor Bellerín. The more general worry is the strain that is being placed on the same defenders to play in every game. Koscielny follows Mesut Özil in being sent home from international duty this week, although the Frenchman’s injury is not as serious. Özil, who had been in Germany ready for the Euro 2016 qualifiers against Poland and the Republic of Ireland, underwent a scan on Wednesday that showed he had partially torn a ligament in his left knee. According to the German Football Association, Özil will be out for between 10 and 12 weeks.
Koscielny follows Mesut Özil in being sent home from international duty this week, although the Frenchman’s injury is hardly as serious. Özil, who had been in Germany ready for Euro 2016 qualifiers against Poland and the Republic of Ireland, underwent a scan on Wednesday which revealed he had partially torn a ligament in his left knee. According to the German Football Federation, Özil will be out for between 10 and 12 weeks. Wenger’s injury list is now into double figures. Olivier Giroud is a long-term casualty with a broken bone in his lower leg, while Aaron Ramsey is unlikely to play again before early November because of hamstring damage. Theo Walcott, Mikel Arteta, Serge Gnabry, Yaya Sanogo and Abou Diaby are also out.
Wenger’s injury list is now into double figures. Olivier Giroud is a long-term casualty with a broken bone in his lower leg while Aaron Ramsey is unlikely to play again before early November because of hamstring damage. Theo Walcott, Mikel Arteta, Serge Gnabry, Yaya Sanogo and Abou Diaby are also out.