Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed the club is thoroughly examining their pre-match warm-up routines after an alarming series of injuries occurred just before kick-off this season. The Gunners have experienced four separate incidents where players sustained problems during warm-ups, a rate Arteta describes as highly unusual compared to his six-year tenure at the club.
Details of the Pre-Match Injuries
William Saliba was the first casualty, twisting his ankle in the warm-up ahead of Arsenal's 1-0 defeat to Liverpool in August, forcing him off after just five minutes of play. Subsequently, Riccardo Calafiori suffered injuries during warm-ups before fixtures against Brighton in December and Wigan in February. In between those events, Bukayo Saka picked up a minor issue ahead of last month's 4-0 victory over Leeds.
Arteta's Concerns and Investigation
When questioned about whether Arsenal would review their warm-up strategies, Arteta responded emphatically. "Yeah, big time. They were very different injuries," he stated. "The first one was with Willy when he rolled his ankle against Liverpool. Then we had two incidents with Richy in the warm-up in a really similar way. And the other one was with Bukayo, after he was rested on midweek and didn't play against Kairat, then against Leeds."
Arteta highlighted the statistical anomaly, noting, "It's very unusual. It probably happened once or twice, I think, in six years that I've been here and it’s happened four times this season. So, obviously, we are looking into it."
He elaborated on the specific cases, explaining, "On the Willy one, it's very difficult to see. Sometimes, as well, you want to try and test a player before a game to make sure that he's ready in the warm-up. And Bukayo is very random because he never gave any symptoms or signals away that this could happen in the warm-up. That's what it is. We have to learn."
Potential Adjustments and Humorous Insight
Arteta even joked about the situation, suggesting a radical thought experiment. "It’s a really good area to have a look at what will happen if we don't do the warm-up because then at half-time, we go at half-time, and we sit almost for 15 minutes, and then we go full gas again in the second half! So, yeah, maybe something to think about."
This spike in warm-up injuries has left Arteta keen to rectify the issue promptly. The club's medical and coaching staff are now focused on analysing these incidents to prevent future occurrences, ensuring player fitness and performance are not compromised by pre-match routines.
