Arsenal are already facing the prospect of being without Hector Bellerin and Alexis Sanchez.
Despite enjoying a fantastic run of form that has seen Arsenal move to within two points of the top of the table, their progress could become bogged down after suffering a number of injuries in recent weeks.
Prior to this international window, Arsene Wenger was already without Santi Cazorla, Lucas Perez, Danny Welbeck and Per Mertesacker, as his side prepared for their crunch match against Manchester United next weekend.
However, Arsenal’s November curse has struck again, after Hector Bellerin was ruled out for between four and six as a result of ankle injury he sustained while on international duty with the Spanish under 21s.
Although the extent of Alexis Sanchez hamstring injury is not yet known, it is doubtful he will be fit for Arsenal’s clash with United as Chile seem intent on playing him in their tie with Uruguay next week.
In addition, Wenger now fears for the fitness of star defender Laurent Koscielny, and has pleaded with Didier Deschamps not to start him in France’s friendly with the Ivory Coast next Tuesday.
Speaking on BeIN Sport (via the Daily Mail), Wenger said, “I’ve never tried to prevent a player from international duty. When it’s a competitive game I never intervene. France plays a friendly with Ivory Coast in the second game on Tuesday night. I can’t see the purpose of Koscielny playing the second game”.
I understand completely him playing against Sweden, it’s difficult to understand him playing the whole game against Ivory Coast because afterwards we play at Manchester United and then Paris Saint Germain.
If it’s not needed, you try to find a compromise that suits both parties. I could ring [Didier Deschamps], but most of the time I don’t do it.
With Bellerin already out of the games against United and PSG, Arsenal will be hoping Deschamps decides to rest Koscielny, otherwise, they will be forced to rely on players such as Mathieu Debuchy, Carl Jenkinson, Gabriel Paulista and Rob Holding.
Fine players in their own right, but not in the same league as either Bellerin or Koscielny.