Who's fit for duty after international week?

Written by Jonathan Chong on Saturday, October 18, 2008

Results
Date Time C Opponent F A R S
18 Oct 3:00 PM P Everton (H) 3 1 Win
Who's fit for duty after international week?

After a gruelling international schedule, manager Arsène Wenger is assessing his squad of the walking wounded and lethargic, seeing who will be fit to face Everton at the Emirates Stadium today.

Knocks to William Gallas, Bacary Sagna, Nicklas Bendtner and Johan Djourou have already ruled them out of Saturday's Premier League clash with Everton.

It is a remote possibility that the trio will be fit for the Gunners' Champions League clash in Turkey next week.

However, the good news for Arsenal fans is that key men Francesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie have been passed fit to make an appearance today against Everton.

Midfielder Abou Diaby is also available for selection.

Wenger said: "Djourou is possibly out, Bendtner possibly, Sagna possibly, Gallas unlikely, but he is a possibility for Sunday against West Ham.

"Francesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie will be available. Walcott has come back available but I might rest him because he played on Wednesday night in Minsk.

"Djourou has concussion from the first game and we were a bit cautious when he came back but he is out, we do not want to take any chances. Gallas and Bendtner are the two players who got injured during the international break and are not available.

"We have one bit of good news though which is Diaby being back. I hope that the good news is that Gallas, Sagna and Bendtner are not long-term injuries, the only long-term ones are Eduardo and Tomas Rosicky."

The Frenchman revealed that whilst the players keep in touch with the club physio via text messages when playing for their respective countries, a true assessment of the 'damage' can only be done when they return to London Colney.

He said: "The players are always in touch with our physio through text messages. You check straight away after the game but we have scouts at the games as well. We call them and ask 'how did it finish, who came on, why did he come off?' It becomes a habit.

"But at midnight you go to bed with a little view of what will hit you the next day. We play on Tuesday again so that would be four games in 10 days.

"We have done our observation [tests]. They are not linked especially with the England matches but we do know how the individual players respond to repetitions of games.

"Before Walcott went away with England I already felt, after the Sunderland game, he looked tired. He's the kind of player who plays with a lot of energy, every time he goes he goes 100 per cent."

The Frenchman has called many times for football's governing body to change the international calender, but his proposals have fallen on deaf ears.

Wenger added: "I have proposed that many times but I know it will not happen.

"People will respond to you that during the qualifiers it is a privilege for the smaller countries to play against the bigger countries. That is why they do not want to go into this system.

"And the managers have no real power on the decision front. They are only a consulting force. That is why I don't believe they will be capable of changing it."

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The players are always in touch with our physio through text messages. You check straight away after the game but we have scouts at the games as well. We call them and ask 'how did it finish, who came on, why did he come off?' It becomes a habit.

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