Arsene Wenger has confirmed Per Mertesacker faces a long-term spell out of action after undergoing reconstruction to his ankle ligaments.
The German international suffered the injury during the Gunners’ 2-1 win over Sunderland last Saturday at the Stadium of Light.
The morning after the game, the 26-year-old tweeted a picture to show the true extent of his ankle injury and admitted at the time that he could potentially be out for the remainder of the season.
Well it seems the defender’s worst fear has come to fruition after Wenger recently told the media that Merty will be sidelined for a substantial amount of time.
The Frenchman said:
‘Unfortunately he [Mertesacker] has had surgery and we have lost him for a while.
‘How long I don’t know. He had reconstruction of his ligaments. So it will be long term.’
Now this is very worrying to hear in my view, as it seems incredibly likely that Johan Djourou, who somehow penned a new deal at the club until 2015, will have to fill the gap.
Personally, I have absolutely no confidence in the Swiss centre-back and think his defending is shoddy to say the very least! Granted, he did have a good spell in the first half of last season, but by the end of it he was all over the place and showed his true colours.
On a brighter note, I’d rather have him come in to the line-up than the Squid! But I do worry for us as it looks like we’ll be seeing Djojo much more over the course of the season as we wouldv’e hoped!
Speedy recovery Per!
um…why would djourou be starting for us until the end of the season??? Wenger confirmed Koscielny is only out for a week he’ll be starting with Vermaelen…we also have Song who he uses back there as well.
How long is Kos out for? in any case you do make fair points. I just hope Djourou doesn’t come in
Actually edited slightly, totally forgot about Kos! lol
If Djourou is going regular, u can expect more goals from opposition, that’s for sure. I don’t know what Arsenal sees in him, really.
More penalties, more clueless football
from one of Wenger’s so called great signings , his deadwood, his policy of signing crap footballers
DJOUROU would not be selected by any other team manager in the Premier League.If anyone can suggest another central defender playing first team football at this time who’s ability to tackle,read the game,and distribute the ball is worse than that of our “Swiss-Miss” I’ll be surprised.How on earth he managed to gain a contract extension is totally beyond me.Djourou sums up Wenger’s current delusion-like many others at the club he is plainly not good enough but gets paid handsomely for his mediocrity.
Djourou gets a contract extension,its a joke he would struggle to get a game at any other prem club, but Arsene gives him a new deal. This sums up what is wrong with Arsene and Arsenal- paying below average players wages that they wouldn’t get at any other club. Thats why they can’t shift them on , when it seems obvious to most that they aren’t good enough for Arsenal.
With Djourou always in the starting line up,i think the worst is yet to come.
Oh shit,this guy would not get in to my sunday league team,he cant play footbal simple as that,this old manager of ours is suffering from some brain malfunction if he thinkd djourou in a good player.
DJ would not hold down a CB position in the Championship. If he plays– Arsenal lose- choose what!
Never been a big fan of the swiss… But at least he aint worse than the French Squid. Both playing in the same match has proved suicidal, why JD got an extension only wenger knows…