Arsenal news: Oxlade-Chamberlain, Walcott to miss England games
Published:
Holly Thackeray | October 28, 2015
- Gunners duo pulled up with injuries in Capital One Cup
- Walcott replaced Oxlade-Chamberlain but limped off too
- Both to miss Arsenal’s next three matches at least
- Participation in England friendlies v Spain and France potentially ruled out
Wenger’s England duo sidelined
Latest reports also suggest the pair will have no respective involvement in England’s end of year prestige friendlies against Spain and France, which serve as Roy Hodgson’s first warm-up games for the Euro 2016 finals, either.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger bemoaned the double blow, stating:“I am concerned because we have a big game on Saturday at Swansea and the Champions League at Bayern Munich coming up, and already we are short. To lose two offensive players is damaging for us.”
The dynamic attacking duo are expected to miss important upcoming Gunners matches against Swansea (October 31st), Bayern (Novemeber 4th) and Tottenham, who they face in a fierce north London derby on November 8th.
These setbacks will likely leave Wenger short of options up top, as the Frenchman was stretched into featuring the forwards in that fateful Capital One Cup clash against Wednesday, while other options such a Danny Welbeck and Aaron Ramsey are already sidelined for the foreseeable future.
In jeopardy, then, are the Gunners’ Premier League title aspirations (7/4 from Coral), as they currently rest level on 22 points with leaders Manchester City, but are behind on goal difference. Losing two of their most pacy and potent predators while being spread so thinly will not help them play catch-up against the Sky Blues.
Pair to miss Three Lions friendlies
With Oxlade-Chamberlain and Walcott, who have both featured heavily in Hodgson’s success, now likely absent for the dead-rubbers against giants Spain and France in November, the England boss may have to rethink his plans. Although, this could open the door for more minutes for the likes of in-form Leicester City frontman Jamie Vardy and uncapped Jack Grealish.
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