Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta is frustrated by his inability to do more for players who faced injury risks.
As the season draws to a close, Arteta reflected on the early challenges, admitting that his team lacked squad depth. Despite knowing some players were at high risk of injury, the Spanish coach felt he could do nothing to prevent it, and this has left him disappointed.
Arsenal will face Liverpool at Anfield in their next Premier League match. The visiting team will give a guard of honor to Liverpool, who have already secured the title.
For the fifth consecutive season, Arsenal has failed to win a trophy. Their Champions League journey ended in the semi-finals, and in the Premier League, they can only finish as runners-up.
Injuries have been a major setback for Arteta’s team this season. Key players like Martin Ødegaard, Bukayo Saka, and Ben White spent significant time off the field, while Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Magalhães, and Takehiro Tomiyasu saw their seasons cut short due to injuries. In contrast, Liverpool’s 10 outfield players have all played over 30 matches this season.
Arteta believes that to win a trophy, everything must fall into place.
“We knew from the start that our squad was incredibly small. We had players with a high risk of injury, as this had happened to them in previous seasons. A lot of things need to go right for us to win the Premier League… It’s true that we’ve never had the consistency this season due to the problems we faced.”
“To win a title, a lot has to happen. Liverpool has done that very well. They’ve managed to maintain consistency, with players of that quality, a consistent process, a coach, a stadium—always creating that incredible atmosphere for them.”
Now, Arteta is already thinking about next season. He is focusing on the development of his current squad and considering strengthening the team in the transfer window.
