The North London club have a number of familiar first team members out on loan to ensure they have first team action as well as keep their fitness, sharpness, and competitiveness up.
Below is a round-up of some of those players who have been missed by the Gunners’ faithful?
Jack Wilshere tops this list as he was loaned out to Bournemouth FC for the season. There’s no doubt as regards to Wilshere’s football brain and talent but for some mysterious reason, his fitness levels at Arsenal has been so poor.
Wilshere’s tenacity for close controls, guarding possession and driving hard at opposition have been the bedrock of his admiration by the fans. However, it has also been the source of his injury woes.
His style of play especially in the Premier league, leaves him exposed to kicks and tackles aimed mostly at his ankles which have suffered the most in his injury history at the Emirates.
Courtesy of goal.com, halfway into the post is an info graph of Jack Wilshere’s injury troubles. However, ever since his loan move to Bournemouth, he has been involved in a total of 19 games and stayed fit till date.
Questions will remain in regards to his fitness woes at the North London club but I will prefer to look at the glass half full and say his injury days are behind him.
I’d probably recall him from Bournemouth if I were in Wenger’s shoes considering our current shortage of options but the fact that game time isn’t guaranteed for the remainder of the season, staying put is better for his career.
I am certain he will put pen to paper when his loan spell at Bournemouth is over in May as his contract winds down to its end next season.
Next up is Wojciech Szczesny who is enjoying his second loan spell at Roma. A regular starter in the side and currently having seven clean sheets to his name and only one point behind the undisputed Champions of Serie A Juventus in second place, Wojciech Szczesny is definitely having an excellent loan spell.
Szczesny lost his starting place in the team after that Southampton game where he found himself wanting by smoking in the bathroom after the loss and his Dad making matters worse by blaming his teammates for their loss.
Petr Cech was brought in from Chelsea to claim starting berth and Szczesny was sent out on loan. His first spell at Roma saw him feature 42 times in all competitions and 3rd on the Serie A table ranking.
This saw him return there for a second loan spell and is having a better time than his first spell which was solid itself. I see him extending his stay as well at the club. That goalkeeper spot will be his and Ospina to contest for.
Finally, Joel Campbell. Now, this is a player who I believe has been treated unfairly by the Arsenal loan system or should I say Wenger’s selection process.
Ever since coming to the Emirates in 2011, the 25-year-old has been loaned out to Lorient, Real Betis, Olympiacos, Villareal and currently Sporting Lisbon in Portugal.
He hasn’t had enough opportunities to show what he is made of, with Wenger preferring to field Ramsey out wide despite his inability to play that position.
Last season, Wenger couldn’t just help himself with Ramsey starting on the right flank so many times despite having Theo Walcott, Joel Campbell and Oxlade-Chamberlain naturally meant to contest for that spot.
He is certainly one player I would hurt to see him leave the Emirates on a permanent basis anytime soon. His last outing for Sporting Lisbon was away against Maritimo ending 2-2. He was instrumental throughout the game.
So far, he has scored 4 goals in total for Sporting Lisbon and he doesn’t seem like slowing down. Here’s a look at Campbell’s season so far. Till the next thought. ….
COYG!!!
