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Team News: Wenger’s update on Ramsey, Ozil, Giroud, Iwobi & more

By on August 26, 2016

aaron ramsey arsenal

It’s been a hectic day at Arsenal HQ and as well as plenty of transfer-related business going on, we’ve also had a big game at Watford to prepare for tomorrow.

Arsene Wenger held his pre-match press conference on Friday morning and he’s offered a full team news and injury update ahead of our trip to Vicarage Road.

The boss gave an update on Ramsey and revealed that the Welshman is progressing well in his recovery from a hamstring injury that he suffered on the opening weekend of the new season.

Iwobi also picked up a thigh knock in that game against Liverpool and both midfielders were initially ruled out until shortly after the international break next month, however, Arsene says it’s too soon to say whether they’ll be in contention to face Southampton.

Gabriel was ruled out for up to eight weeks after suffering an ankle injury in our final pre-season game but it looks like the Brazilian international is ahead of schedule as Wenger says he could now be back in just six weeks.

There was also an update on Jenkinson with the boss confirming that he underwent two shoulder operations while he was recovering from a serious knee injury that he suffered earlier this year.

Carl returned to light training today but Arsene says it could take him up to six weeks before he’ll be considered fit for selection.

The boss told Arsenal.com:

on the latest team news…

Basically we have the same squad available as last week. I think it will be a similar squad.

on Ramsey and Iwobi…

They are progressing well. Will it be immediately after the break [that they are back]? That’s what we’ll have to see in the next two weeks.

on Gabriel…

He’s progressing very well. He’s ahead of schedule. We said six to eight weeks and we think it could be six.

on Jenkinson…

Carl Jenkinson, we plan six weeks from today. He had to do his shoulders as well – sometimes when a guy has weaknesses and he has a big injury, you take advantage of the fact that he has a big injury to sort out the short ones. That’s what we did with him. He had the two shoulders done [too]. He went through a tough time, Carl. But he’s brave, conscientious, motivated and I think he will come back well.

So it looks like good news all round on our injured players and Wenger also gave an update on Ozil and Giroud’s fitness ahead of the Watford game tomorrow.

Both players were only deemed fit enough to start form the bench at Leicester last weekend after returning late to pre-season training but Wenger has hinted Ozil may be able to return to the starting eleven at Watford.

However, it appears Giroud may have to make do with a place among the substitutes again as Arsene says he’s still not 100% fit.

The boss is quoted as saying by the Evening Standard:

“He’s [Ozil] not far now. That’s a decision I have to make in the next 24 hours.

“It will be a similar squad. Not everybody is up to speed completely.

“We still have some players who are a little bit behind,”

“Giroud is still a little bit fractional behind physically,”

It’s excellent news to have Ozil back in the team as we desperately need his creativity in the final third. Unfortunately soon-to-be new signing Lucas Perez isn’t going to be available so with Giroud not ready, Sanchez will have to start up front again.