MIKEL ARTETA wishes he could have “paused” time to prevent Gabriel Jesus getting injured in January and regrets not protecting him.
Arsenal have been forced to play the past three months without a recognised striker, using midfielder Mikel Merino and winger Leandro Trossard as makeshift No9s.
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It has had a huge impact on their season and saw them crash out of the FA Cup in the third round and Carabao Cup semi-finals, as well as surrendering their Prem title charge to Liverpool.
Kai Havertz underwent hamstring surgery following a freak training accident in February during their mid-season warm-weather camp in Dubai.
But it was Jesus’ lay-off that still plays on Arteta’s mind – the Brazilian rupturing his ACL during an FA Cup tie against Manchester United on January 12. He is now pushing to return to action before the end of the year.
Jesus has spent large periods in the medical room since arriving at the Emirates from Manchester City for £45m in the summer of 2022 – missing over 50 games through injury.
Before the United cup clash, Jesus had started just 12 games in all competitions this season as he struggled for fitness and consistency, scoring seven goals in the process.
Despite the setbacks, Arsenal have still managed to reach the Champions League semi-finals, facing Paris Saint-Germain tomorrow night in the second leg, needing to overcome a 1-0 deficit.
But speaking to the Men In Blazers show, when asked if there was anything he would do differently this season, Arteta explained: “Possibly. Yeah.
“It’s very difficult now to understand that, if I could pause the game and say, Gabriel Jesus, we brought you back to life. You know, you are doing incredibly well.
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“You’re going to now get injured, so stop. I would stop him, bring another player in and continue to play the game. Unfortunately, we cannot do this in football.”
Arteta is also still frustrated over ill discipline, with his side picking up FIVE red cards in the Prem this term, with three of them coming inside the first ten games of the season.
Declan Rice picked up two yellows in controversial fashion in a 1-1 draw with Brighton in August, as did Leandro Trossard in the dramatic 2-2 draw with Manchester City in September.
William Saliba was given a VAR-reviewed straight red in the 2-0 defeat at Bournemouth in October.
Myles Lewis-Skelly has picked up TWO reds since making his senior debut in that draw at the Etihad, the first in a 1-0 victory at Wolves that was later rescinded in January.
But the teenager picked up another in a damaging 1-0 home loss to West Ham a month later.
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Arteta continued: “I am probably prouder than I was back in August.
“While we have to deliver, we’ve been through a lot this season with a lot of very difficult situations that in any other circumstances would have put the club and the team in a very, very difficult position.
“I see the team where we are and how we are competing and it is an absolute joy because in ten, 15, 20 years I analysed what happened when these things happened to other clubs and it’s very different.
“In the period that we play with the amount of injuries, you have zero chance to win the league and you have very few chances even to play in the Champions League.
“That’s history, what we’ve done in the Champions League with that, with those conditions in my opinion is extraordinary.”
One thing that has brought Arteta joy is the club’s dog “Win”, who was brought in at the end of the 2022/23 season and is a regular face around their London Colney training ground.
Arteta was recently seen walking Win outside Colney in the background of a Sky Sports broadcast, and the players often take it in turns to take the pet home with them.
Arteta said: “It brings me joy and peace. When we are all with Win, you change your energy. It is all love, all hugs. He wants to be touched. She wants to go on the floor and given massages and pleasure.
“That dog is the most loyal and unbelievable animal that exists. I feel very attached to her.”
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