Sebastien Squillaci: Arsenal must avoid further injuries
Arsenal defender Sebastien Squillaci has said his team cannot afford prolonged injury absences they are to challenge for the Premier League title this season.
After overcoming Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday 14 November, Arsene Wenger's team are second in the league table, trailing leaders Chelsea by only two points.
The French manager recently welcomed defender Kieran Gibbs and strikers Robin van Persie and Nicklas Bendtner back to the team after the trio spent significant time on the sidelines.
But the Arsenal defence, which Squillaci became a part of this summer after transferring from La Liga side Sevilla, has suffered from the absence of the influential Thomas Vermaelen, who sustained a mysterious injury while playing for the Belgian national
team in September.
"Vermaelen got injured and still is injured and that’s a shame for us because we need players like him and that brings confidence to the team," Squillaci told the club's official website about the situation.
Defensive stability questioned
In Vermaelen's absence, Squillaci has shared defensive duties with the relatively untested Johan Djourou and Laurent Koscielny, another of Arsenal's summer signings.
At times, the trio's coordination has been lacking, and Squillaci said Vermaelen's return will be crucial to the team's ability to cope with a hectic playing schedule.
"But there is competition at any big club and you also need all your players as there are injuries, lots of games every three days and so you need a good group of players to make up for this and to be able to cope. I hope that everyone gets fit, Thomas and
everyone else so that we all get our chance and we’ll be able to catch up in the league."
Arsenal host Tottenham in the season's first North London derby on Saturday 20 November.
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