Arsenal injury update: Wilshere, Walcott & more

An injury crisis has rocked Arsenal in the past few months, with us at our worst point having nine first team stars in the Emirates treatment room.

However, with the return of David Ospina, Aaron Ramsey, Hector Bellerin and the impending return of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, the squad is starting to come back together as we enter the tough festive schedule.

With games coming thick and fast in the run up to Christmas, we still have seven first-team players out. Here’s an update on how they are doing and when they are all due back:

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
• Out with a hamstring injury since 27th Oct 2015
• Due back any day

The Ox is just about free from injury could even be fit for the Norwich game on Sunday. Despite not being at his best this season and being largely kept out of the team by Ramsey, we will welcome him back with open arms on the wings with our options severely limited recently.

Theo Walcott
• Out with a calf strain since 27th Oct 2015
• 2 weeks until return

We’ve missed Theo’s ability to play up front and on the wing hugely during an injury spell for the club that left us desperately short of forward options. He is still two weeks from coming back, but after the form he was showing early in the season, both he and the fans will be desperate for him to get back to full fitness.

Mikel Arteta
• Out with a calf strain since 21 Nov 2015
• 2 weeks until return

Arteta capped a shocker last weekend at West Brom by picking up a calf strain. His form has dipped in no small part due to the injuries of the past couple of years and our Spanish captain will be absolutely desperate to get back and atone for his poor performances this season.

Tomas Rosicky
• Out with a knee Injury since 12 Jun 2015 on international duty
• 4 weeks until return

Gunners veteran Tomas Rosicky is not expected back for at least a month from his long term knee injury and will be out until at least New Year.

Danny Welbeck
• Out with a knee Injury picked up in training the 3rd of May 2015
• 6 weeks until return

Although he hasn’t shown the awesome form for us that he has shown for England on the international stage, he’s a big miss right now for his versatility and work-rate. He offers a different dimension to our attack and his return will be a boost for our forward line.

Jack Wilshere
• Out with an ankle injury picked up in training in the 1st Aug 2015
• 6 weeks until return

Jack Wilshere was coming into a great spell of form before a desperately unlucky injury set him back again. He’s remained positive despite his long spell out and Gooners can take heart from the fact that at just 23 he has plenty of time to put his injury misery behind him and become the player we know he can be.

Francis Coquelin
• Out with a knee injury picked up on the 21st Nov 2015
• 3 months until return

Not signing another defensive midfielder has come back to haunt us now with Francis Coquelin ruled out for 3 months with a serious knee injury. He’s been one of the first names on the team sheet for us over the past year and will be a huge miss.

We are extremely light now in central midfield and have no option but to go into the transfer market in January and sign a world class replacement for him to keep our title hopes alive.