This is not the NLD thread this forum deserves, but it is the NLD thread this forum is getting right now because I'm too busy to create a proper one. I will be on a plane for this one, and the last time I missed an NLD I tore my ACL. Expect that not to happen this time. Time: 1630 GMT/1130 EST/1030 CST TV: Google says peacock premium, but it's been wrong before Location: The Emirates Injuries: Many, possibly even more than before. Waiting on news on Cala and Big Gabi.
Usually I don't go into NLDs home or away expecting a win, but this time I do. As well as City has been playing, I don't see them winning at St. James Park. Only us and Liverpool has managed and both of us had a helluva time trying to get all 3 points. Both games decided very late. Newcastle are Jeckyl and Hyde home and away. I hope...no, expect us to be 6 points clear after the weekend. Liverpool will beat Forest at home, unless they haven't fully recovered. I don't think its any guarantee Chelsea will win at Burnley either.
🚨🔴⚪️ Despite leaving Italy camp due to injury, Arsenal expect Riccardo Calafiori to be available from next week. pic.twitter.com/yWrg8ZRA9k— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) November 16, 2025
So far, I haven't seen any comment directly from the club about injuries to Big Gabi or Calafiori, and I'm inclined to think any ailments are less severe than the media suggests. Then again, Arteta likes to obfuscate when it comes to availability, so we won't know until lineups are released That said, we have competent back-ups in Mosquera, Hincapie, and MLS who could/should be able to provide cover Gabi and Cala are not close to 100%. All back-ups could use more minutes and are healthy and highly motivated to ensure they perform well. I'm fine with any of them starting, if needed. Our bigger injury concerns will be who is healthy for the attack. If we have Viktor, Kai, and Noni back, I will be far less concerned about who is starting in our defense. Anyone in addition to that is just a bonus.
Although I'd love to have our first choice backline, we are well covered in CB and LB. I am more curious as to whether who among Gyokeres, Odegaard, Havertz and Jesus will be available.
Thanks for the early thread @mebeSajid. I also believe this is on Peacock only. As far injuries go, having Cala in the squad was my hope (but not necessarily having to start), but missing Big Gabi is near certain (weeks maybe months?) I'm a little confused about the exact location of his injury. First I heard groin, now I hear "thigh" (from Brasil) but also I saw abductor mentioned. Hopefully we'll know soon. And unlike some around these parts, I actually do hope to hear Mikel shed some light on this. But all that said, I find Mosquera has inspired confidence in general (slightly too early to say about Hincapie, for me) Edit: I've since listened to Arseblog & Gunnerblog both saying they kinda expect Hincapie to get the nod at LCB because (a) he's a lefty, and (b) Mikel's been talking him up lately. Also if Cala's not fit to start, that could also impact Hincapie's usage.
From what I've seen of Hincapie I like, he goes forward very well to boot. I love MLS but the one issue I see is sometimes he loses the ball in dangerous positions. Calafiori is like having another attacker. I love that he can pop up near the 6 yard box at times. We need a striker for the next week at least. I don't see us beating Bayern Munich or Chelsea without one. We can probably beat Spurs with Merlino.
YankeeGunner said Gabriel has a groin strain (which is what I originally heard a day or so ago). But then he went on to say that it was his abductor. Huh? I thought aBductors were more up by the hip, more outer. That’s not wrong I think, but I found out that there are similar inner muscles called aDductors. And one of those is inner thigh, i.e. groin. It’s all coming clear now. Football has taught me so so much ( and Wikipedia!)
Yeah It’s early It’s hard to develop form without consistent play .. he moved countries so I give him time
At the risking of beating a dead horse, and this obviously shows only his plusses, what major mistakes has he done? I get the feeling he's being \punished' (strong word) for not being Calafiori.
The only complaints I have seen about him is he missed a lot of matches with injuries. If he comes in at LCB and does a good job everyone will be positive. He won't come in and do what Gabi XL does but if he comes in and helps keep clean sheets then with the attacking players we have coming back the loss of Gabriels goals can be offset. Calafiori has been excellent at LB and MLS has been excellent at LB in the UCL so if Calafiori is fit you surely leave him at LB and bring Hincapie in at LCB not to disturb the lineup too much.
Yeah heard that too. Completely sucks. He's been MVP material... at both ends. So now is when we see how good our newer/better squad depth really is.
Yes, this is the most winnable game of the next 3. I don't want to lose any game but I am far more concerned about the league games than anything. A loss to Bayern isn't the end of the world. We will still be highly rated in the league. We lost at Inter last season and ended up being very well placed. Beat Tottenham and Chelsea and I'm happy. Bad result to Bayern will be annoying but not the end of the world if or when we see them again, we'll be at full strength. We are scary at full strength with the handbrakes off.
You're nothing if not consistent. I.e. consistently the rosiest of rose-tinted glasses about our future fitness. Right now, unless some divine miracle happens, we're without most if not all of Gabriel, Odegaard, Madueke, Havertz & Gyokeres. And there's a new little doubt/concern about Calafiori too. Hopefully a few of them will come back in the coming days/weeks, but it's not probabilistic that we'll be at truly "full strength" anytime real soon, if ever, during the remainder of the season. But that's where our squad comes in, and its presumed higher quality. The next month or two should be telling in that regard.
The squad depth has already won us points this season that we would’ve lost in the past. Being where we are having had none of Havertz and very little of Ødegaard (and not a lot of Madueke) is nothing short of remarkable. I’d say I’m surprised that more hasn’t been made of this fact, but the media is of course narrative driven and they can’t wait for the injuries to finally catch up to us so they can run with ‘Arsenal collapse.’ The problem is the depth players who’ve helped us cope, notably Gyök and Little Gabi, are out now, too. We literally don’t have a fit striker in the squad. Again. I’m very concerned about the upcoming stretch.
Its a fact that in January we'll be at full strength. That's a fact. Injuries can and do happen to all sides, but we will be at full strength. Assuming things stay the same till then.
Doublin down... excellent! BTW what's your January prediction for Nvidia stock price and the AI bubble? JK
Buy low, sell high. I usually charge my clients 1000s for that kind of information but for a fellow Gooner....well.