Calafiori injury worry : Mikel ‘goleador’ Merino scores again

Morning all.

A quick Friday blog for you, and unfortunately we have to start with some potentially bad news. It feels typical of this season that an Interlull arrives and an Arsenal player gets injured, but it has happened again. This time Riccardo Calafiori, in the dying stages of Italy’s 2-1 defeat to Germany, slipped on the pitch and his knee buckled in a way which genuinely made my heart sink when I saw it. Clip here.

Perhaps we’re too conditioned now to see something like that and fear the worst, but that’s where I am with it this morning. A relatively innocuous incident that leads to a terrible outcome. No doubt some information will emerge during the day, but if it was the bad knee thingy (a Scottish play equivalent in terms of football injury writing), I wouldn’t be at all surprised. I really, really hope I’m wrong, but after everything else that has happened this season, you wouldn’t put it past the universe to throw in another couple of stabs before we resume for the final part of the season.

I’m not even going to say ‘Well, at least it happened in an area where we have lots of cover’, because that’s just inviting the fates to do their thing on someone in an area where we don’t. I don’t even believe in that shit, jinxes and what have you, but the bad luck we’ve had with injuries this season has been off the charts. Hopefully it’s not a serious one for Calafiori, I’ll keep my fingers crossed for him.

Also in action last night, William Saliba played 90 minutes for France as they were beaten 2-0 by Croatia; Kieran Tierney came on as a sub in Scotland’s 1-0 win over Greece; Gabriel played in Brazil’s 2-1 win over Panama Colombia but picked up a yellow card which rules him out of their next game (good!); Leandro Trossard and Oleksandr Zinchenko faced off as Ukraine beat Belgium 3-1; while Jurrien Timber was unwell and unable to play for the Netherlands as drew 2-2 with Spain.

David Raya and Mikel Merino were both on the bench for that one, but the latter was introduced in the 84th minute and scored an injury time equaliser as the game finished 2-2. It’s not the most beautiful goal he’ll ever score, but if that was a certified centre-forward, you’d give him credit for being in the right place at the right time to tuck home the rebound.

If you haven’t already seen it, he did a really interesting interview with Sid Lowe in The Guardian, talking about how he’s coming to terms with his new role up front. He backed up the story from before the Leicester game where the idea of him playing there was sprung on him on the morning of the game. It didn’t sound very Mikel Arteta, if that makes sense. He’s usually so meticulous in his preparations, but there was method to the madness:

“They know me: they know I want to know why we do things, exactly what movements to make, to not make, everything. If they told me sooner I would have been thinking too much, instead of letting it flow. And look: they told me late, I didn’t think much, I went out, I flowed, I scored two.”

Afterwards though, he wanted more:

“I was quick to say: ‘Look, it’s great that you didn’t tell me anything before but, please, now give me some fundamentals.’

I’m getting used to being a centre-forward, fighting with the centre-backs, them hitting you from behind. You’re always at a disadvantage and they like to mark their territory, intimidate you physically. They want to ensure you’re uncomfortable and don’t have space, from first minute to last – even if the ball’s not there. It’s more mental than midfield because it’s a more direct duel. But I’m adapting and if there’s one thing I’ve always been it’s a battler: I like the contact, I never back down.

It is a bit mad to say it, but in the absence of anyone else, his importance to the team in the final 6 weeks of the season can’t be underestimated. I think there are going to be games where it’s tough because of the quality of the opposition, but hopefully he’s learning enough on the job to be effective. I will say this, I like his attitude and his character. He’s willing to do whatever the team needs, with no complaints, and he’s determined to do to the best of his ability. He wants to understand the new role and learn as much about it as he can. Can’t fault that.

Right, I’ll leave it there for now. There are players in action this evening: Declan Rice, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Ethan Nwaneri (Eng U21s), Thomas Partey, and Jakub Kiwior, with Martin Odegaard playing for Norway tomorrow. It’d be very nice if the injury gods turned their Eye of Sauron elsewhere, perhaps on, I dunno, people who are doing the entire world harm rather than just Arsenal players.

Now though, I’m gonna go play golf and win the club championship with a round of 61 and I definitely won’t be cheating no no no I’m just an incredible athlete and golf hitting guy, no hanky-panky I can assure you just definitely a real golf score 100% true and true no lies just honest golf in the hole. Thank you!!!!!!

If you need something to listen to, there’s an Arsecast below. I’m joined by Elliot Smith from the ArsenalVision Podcast to do Statements, some good ones in there. Have a great day, folks.