Arsenal Week in Review, Monday 5th October: Injury Worries Mount as Williamson Error Costs Arsenal Women in Paris
It's been an international break dominated by fitness concerns for Mikel Arteta. Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice and Kai Havertz have all been the subject of return-date updates throughout the week (Evening Standard) (Evening Standard) (Evening Standard). The biggest blow came when Christos Tzolis was sent home from Greece duty with a hamstring issue, with reports suggesting he could be out for two to three weeks (Football.London) (Football.London) (TeamTalk) (Football.London). There was also a reported on-pitch disagreement involving Tzolis and his national team manager during the incident (Football.London) (Football.London). Despite the gloom, Football.London report Arteta has also had some triple injury boosts to balance things out ahead of the Leeds game (Football.London) (Football.London). William Saliba is reportedly on the brink of a return too, which TeamTalk say has altered Arsenal's January transfer thinking (TeamTalk). Football.London have also looked at how the side might have to line up against Leeds given the various fitness issues (Football.London).
On the pitch internationally, there was better news. Viktor Gyokeres continued his hot scoring streak for Sweden, according to Arsenal.com and Football.London, with Swedish media reportedly full of praise for him (Arsenal.com) (Football.London). Arsenal.com also noted good results for Christos Tzolis and Jurrien Timber (Arsenal.com), while Bukayo Saka scored twice and Mikel Merino also found the net for Spain (Arsenal.com). Declan Rice, meanwhile, was said by Football.London to have received a strong challenge after England's heavy win over Croatia (Football.London), and the Evening Standard reported an Arsenal player was rated highly in England's win over the Czech Republic (Evening Standard).
It was a tough week for Arsenal Women. A Champions League trip to Paris FC saw Arsenal squander a two-goal lead, with Sky Sports reporting Leah Williamson was involved in a freak penalty incident that let the French side back into the game for a 2-2 draw (Sky Sports). BBC Sport explained why the penalty decision against Williamson was the correct call (BBC Sport). Arsenal.com carried Alessia Russo's response, in which she said she is hoping the team's goals continue to flow despite the result (Arsenal.com). That followed a bruising 4-2 WSL defeat to Manchester City, with Sky Sports saying the champions fought back from behind to leave Arsenal and head coach Renée Slegers further mired in an early-season crisis (Sky Sports) (Sky Sports). BBC Sport note Arsenal now sit ten points off WSL leaders Manchester City, with scrutiny growing on Slegers' position (BBC Sport). ESPN report Slegers has insisted she remains "full of energy" to continue in the role despite the setback (ESPN). Arsenal.com previewed the women's trip to Paris FC (Arsenal.com) and published Slegers' pre-Manchester City press conference in full (Arsenal.com) (Arsenal.com).
On the transfer front, much of the week's talk centred on speculation. TeamTalk and other outlets continued to link Arsenal with a possible move for Erling Haaland, though ESPN report the Manchester City striker actually favours a move to Spain over Arsenal (TeamTalk) (Football.London) (Football.London) (ESPN) (BBC Sport). Arsenal have also been linked with Juventus winger Kenan Yildiz, with ESPN and Football.London both reporting interest (ESPN) (Football.London), as well as Porto's Alberto Costa according to BBC Sport (BBC Sport), Como's Jacobo Ramon per TeamTalk (TeamTalk), Real Madrid's Endrick as reported by TeamTalk (TeamTalk), and Bournemouth's Alex Scott, with TeamTalk noting Liverpool have joined the race (TeamTalk). Football.London also report Arsenal could use a share of a £27m UEFA prize pot to help fund a January forward signing (Football.London).
Off the pitch, Arsenal.com reported supporters joined co-chairman Josh Kroenke and chief executive Richard Garlick at an AAB meeting, with Football.London detailing the club's Emirates Stadium expansion plans unveiled there (Arsenal.com) (Football.London). Elsewhere, Ian Wright has called for City to face an "unprecedented" punishment following the independent commission's findings on financial breaches, as reported by Football.London (Football.London). It was also a week of nostalgia, with The Guardian, talkSPORT and Arsenal.com marking 30 years since Arsène Wenger's appointment with retrospectives on his impact, his greatest XI, and the inside story of his arrival (The Guardian) (talkSPORT) (Arsenal.com).
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