Arsenal look set to receive some blows this week with confirmation of Aaron Ramsey’s injury setback and Mathieu Flamini’s suspension.
Ramsey
Initial reports suggest the Welshmen will be out for six more weeks as he has suffered a recurrence of his previous thigh injury.
Arsene Wenger said after the Southampton draw yesterday that:
“Ramsey is out for longer than we expected. He had a little setback in training. The same muscle.”
Ramsey was scheduled to come back this week but appears set for another spell out, although we should stress this isn’t confirmed but will likely be by Wenger in his press conference last this week.
Flamini
This injury comes amidst a crucial period of games for us and it also seems likely that we’ll be without Flamini as well.
Flamini was sent off yesterday for a silly two-footed challenge which put us under pressure during final stages of the Southampton draw.
Arseblog noted that the straight red will ensure the French midfielder misses three games but because he has already served a one-match ban for five yellow cards, he’ll get another game added on top.
FA disciplinary rule 8 states: (a) CAUTIONS ADMINISTERED ON THE FIELD OF PLAY (i) If a player accumulates five cautions in first team competitive matches between the opening day of the Playing Season and 31 December in the same Season, he will be suspended automatically for a period covering: - One First Team Match.
(g) Players dismissed from the Field of Play in first team competitive matches, having previously in the same season been sent off in a first team competitive match (or suspended under the Standard Directions set out in Schedule A in these Regulations for an incident in a first team competitive match), will be suspended for one extra match for each such previous sending off or suspension, in addition to the automatic suspension applicable to the dismissal.
This suggests that Flamini will get the customary one match suspension added on top of his three-match ban.
Wilshere
With Jack Wilshere likely to miss out against Crystal Palace, we appear to have a crisis on our hands in midfield which could see Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Tomas Rosicky line up in central midfield.
We’ll hope for good news later this week but I doubt it will be forthcoming.
Latest:
