1 Comment
User's avatar
stephen pagem's avatar

I think the number looks to be in the ball park but this is dependent to a significant degree on the quality and robustness of the players in question (Lady-luck obviously plays a part with availability, but some players are demonstrably more injury-prone than others when it comes to picking up muscular injuries.) This is what makes the club's pre-season transfer dealings so important IMO. I here what is said about managers/coaches tending to favour small squads (which is understandable if you can get away with it) but for Arteta at least I think the quality outside the core squad has simply simply not good enough for the game-state requirements he has. This is not saying that rotation and frings players were "bad" (that would be stupid) but rather they did not have the profiles Arteta demanded for his game and for a team looking win the biggest prizes. In short, looking a numbers in isolation can be a little reductive.

Expand full comment