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Arsenal Team News: Walcott, Wilshere, Podolski, Rosicky, Ox, Ryo, Sanogo & Diaby

By on November 21, 2013

Arsenal take on Southampton this weekend looking to extend our lead at the top of the league and boss Arsene Wenger has given the latest team news.

His update on Arsenal.com includes the latest on the fitness of Jack Wilshere, Theo Walcott, Tomas Rosicky, Lukas Podolski, Ryo Miyaichi, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Yaya Sanogo and Abou Diaby.

The excellent news is that the boss confirmed Wilshere is NOT injured, contrary to reports today, so he should be in the squad this weekend:

“First of all Jack is not injured, that was not the right information,”

The boss also confirmed that Walcott is fit and back in the squad to face the Saints. Theo has been out for the best past of two months with an abdominal injury and has been a huge miss, so to have him back is a massive boost.

Rosicky missed the loss at Old Trafford before the international break because of sickness and he’ll face a late test to see if he’ll be involved this weekend, while Arsene also revealed that Podolski will be back from his hamstring tear in the next two-three weeks but Miyaichi has been ruled out with a hamstring strain.

The boss also gave an update on when we should expent to see our other long-term injury victims back with the Ox still at least a month away, Sanogo won’t be until the New Year and Diaby will be lucky to play again this season.

on Theo Walcott….

Theo will be back for Saturday in the squad. He’s completely fit again. He has not played for a long time, of course, he has not played even a reserve team game, but I will put him in the squad on Saturday. Yes [I will use him cautiously].

on Tomas Rosicky…

Tomas was ill, he had one or two [normal] training days, he could be in the squad as well on Saturday. We have a final test on Friday.

on Lukas Podolski…

Podolski is not too far away, I would say three weeks. He is doing fitness training on the pitch. He starts to do some ball work too, he still needs two or three weeks before we see him on the pitch for Arsenal.

on Ryo…

Ryo has a hamstring problem that he got from the Norwich game, he will be out for Saturday.

on the longer-term injuries…

Chamberlain is at least one month, Sanogo is January, Diaby will be March.

What would be your team to face Southampton?

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