Arsene Wenger's words after Arsenal 4-1 victory at Wolves suddenly sound prophetic.The manager voiced his concern that the looming international break could disrupt his side's progress and after learning that Kieran Gibbs has become the third of his players to be injured while representing his country, Wenger's worst fears appear to have been fulfilled.
The young left back suffered a suspected fractured metatarsal during England's European under-21 Championship qualifier in Lithuania and will report to the club's medical facility when he returns, along with fellow international casualties Robin Van Persie and Abou Diaby.
Add those names to an injury list that already includes Theo Walcott, Jack Wilshere, Carlos Vela, Denilson, Nicklas Bendtner, Denilson, Gael Clichy and Johan Djourou and it's easy to see why Wenger scans the international fixture list through his fingers.
Now the manager must juggle his resources, ensuring he avoids the twin risks of prematurely recalling half-fit players while not over-burdening his regular starters. And the way he handles his squad over the coming weeks could go a long way towards determining whether Arsenal can maintain their impressive start to the season.
Van Persie is clearly the most significant loss this week but Gibbs will be missed too. If a fracture is confirmed, the youngster wll be out for at least two months at a time when, with first choice left back Clichy already out, the player, who has also been mentioned as a contender for England's World Cup squad, had hoped lay permanent claim to the position.
Wenger warned of the dangers ahead when, speaking after the victory at Molineux, he told the club's official website www.arsenal.com: "Traditionally November has not been a good month for us. But I explain that by the fact we had more injuries – it is the first period when they kick in. It depends on the fixtures too – you can have two or three difficult games in November. You have decisive games in the Champions League and the players go on international duty. Now we have that break and all the players fly away so let's hope they all fly back in good shape."
Unfortunately for the manager, they didn't all fly back in good shape although his options for the trip to the Stadium of Light could yet be increased by the return of Walcott, Wilshere and Vela.
For Wenger, though, it's never been just about putting names on the team sheet. The Frenchman prides himself of getting the best out of his players, using them at the right time, and for the right amount of time to keep them at the top of their game. He faces a challenging few weeks, but if he negotiates this period successfully, Arsenal's position in the title race could be as strong as it has been for a long time
