Let’s face it, international breaks aren’t great for anybody. Players go away, they often get injured and it ruins any momentum your club may have picked up. For Arsenal, they will certainly hold a negative viewpoint at the moment.
Martin Odegaard was injured during September’s break and hasn’t been since after sustaining significant damage to his ankle ligaments. A return is pencilled in for November or December at the moment.
Things went from bad to worse during the current pause for club football when Bukayo Saka limped from the field against Greece last week.
The England hero picked up a hamstring injury and had to be withdrawn. Fortunately, England have been cautious with him and rather than risking the winger’s fitness against Finland, he was sent back to Arsenal.
So, for Saka and for other Arsenal stars, it has been an international break of mixed success.
Arsenal during the October international break
While Saka hobbled from the pitch last Thursday, his national team and club colleague Declan Rice wasn’t enjoying the best of nights in England colours.
The Three Lions suffered a shock 2-1 defeat to the Greeks and Rice was a victim of Lee Carsley’s brave tactics.
The interim boss made an incredibly attacking selection that saw Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and Saka all play from the start. It did not work and it did Rice no favours who was left with oceans of space in front of him for the visitors to attack.
Whether you think he can play as a number 6 or not – the deepest midfield spot in the team – most players would have struggled with the sheer lack of cover that Carsley’s tactics provided him.
Minutes played
90
Touches
76
Passes completed
63/65 (97%)
Duels won
3/7
Possession lost
4x
Fouls committed
2
Key passes
0
Still, the former West Ham man was back in form in a more advanced role against Finland on Sunday evening.
Partnered with Angel Gomes who was making just his second start for the Three Lions, Rice had a great time in the middle of the park and even scored late on, firing home from an Ollie Watkins cross.
There was also success for Belgium’s Leandro Trossard who scored twice against Italy last week for Belgium, subsequently getting the better of summer arrival Riccardo Calafiori.
That said, things weren’t too rosy for one of the best defenders in the world; William Saliba.
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So often Arsenal’s saviour, Mikel Arteta’s go-to man, the Emirates Stadium have grown accustomed to some incredible displays from Saliba since he broke into the team.
Reports suggest a move to Real Madrid could be on the cards in the forthcoming years and it’s hardly a surprise. No player kept was part of more clean sheets in the Premier League last term than the Frenchman, who registered 18.
Saliba also starred for the French at Euro 2024, subsequently handed a place in Football FanCast’s Team of the Tournament. Yet, his displays for Les Bleus since have not lived up to expectations.
Only a few days ago the centre-back was handed a 5/10 rating by Get Football News France having been ‘caught out for Israel’s first-half equaliser’.
Well, it got no better for the Arsenal defender in France’s 2-1 win over Belgium on Monday evening as Saliba gave away an incredibly clumsy penalty (footage below).
As a result, he was handed an ever worse rating by Get Football News France on this occasion who deemed his awful performance worthy of a 3/10.
They wrote: ‘A catastrophic first half from the Arsenal centre-back. Penalised for taking out Openda in his penalty box, he didn’t learn from his mistakes in playing the Leipzig centre-forward onside for his equalizing goal. Still shaky in the second half.’
From a statistical point of view it wasn’t great either as Saliba – so often strong in the duel – only won one of his four defensive battles and failed to win a tackle or make a single interception. It’s hardly a surprise, therefore, that another scathing 3/10 review came from French publication L’Equipe.
It was a rare off night for the French sensation but Arsenal fans can be happy it didn’t happen in the famous red and white. Still, he will need to improve if the Gunners are to win the Premier League title.
Ratings via L'Equipe.
The 23-year-old is an imperative part of that challenge and they cannot afford performances like the one he delivered in Belgium on Monday.
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