Nine

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/allan-saint-maximin/verletzungen/spieler/272642/plus/1 He’s missed 12 games so far this season from hamstring/muscle injuries (the hamstring being a more reoccurring theme in his career), the frequency of these injuries and his missed game time is increasing during his first full season under Howe. Is it a coincidence? Likely not. The worry is that its multiple muscle or tendon injuries back to back, unlike a maybe freak calf injury that took 11 games in 20/21.

The missing context here is how much more intensive our style has become since Howe though, you can see the trend in ASMs availability since Eddies arrival is on a downwards slide already. The way we play has a huge impact on players with susceptibility to their fitness, especially when they have a history of muscle injuries. Fair point, up until Howe he has a good record of consistent appearances. I personally don’t think this is the right place for him to be anymore though, he just isn’t suited to an intense high press and he will continue to get injured (I’d also argue that mentally I think he doesn’t quite fit either but that’s another story). With age and the accumulation of injuries it will only get worse from here, not better.

Personally, the rivalry doesn’t mean THAT much to me. I’d much rather have them around to beat twice a season and eventually see them relegated for a while again.

Would love for them to go up, European football AND them back for next season?

No thank Eddie for the ‘W’, he’s been consistently playing Bruno out of position all season after all..

Must have had those results because Bruno wasn’t there playing at 8. If only Howe could see it.

I can’t be bothered to look them up mate, but transfermarket says he missed 3 games in August with a hamstring injury. The point is, let’s not jump to conclusions that one of our key players and best performers is being played out of position after a bad game against a very good side (and is clearly carrying an injury).

The start of the season Bruno was out for a month or so

Longstaff played decently at 6 with Bruno out at the start of the season, if Bruno is so great at 8 why doesn’t he play there when Longstaff is available? It’s crazy to me that after a poor game against the second best side in the league people start saying he plays in the wrong position

Does Howe play him as an 8 when Longstaff is available?

His best position is 6. His biggest quality is how unpressable he is, his awareness and ability to make the most of whatever space he has makes him a natural 6. He’s also probably not athletically gifted enough to play in the front 2 of our 4/3/3 for any lengthy period.

He’s been carrying it long enough that it would suggest it’s going to take a longer, more serious rehabilitation than just a rest.

He’s been clearly carrying a (surgery needed) ankle injury for 2 months at least. Get ready for the over reactions though.

With Isak and Wilson starting together I’m not sure what we had on the bench would have been any better? Is ASM even fit?

Just better than us on the day and our heads dropped early on imo, mentality is questionable today. They have failed to take chances but just not as badly as we have. Fair game.

We look second best at everything so far, but that’s a credit to how good these are this season. The manager needs to pick their heads up at half time, it’s getting scrappy and certain players are losing their cool. They set up well to exploit our weaknesses, we will adjust.

We need a good response in the second, much like we did vs Southampton

We will sign a CB in the summer without doubt

I stand corrected then, I thought he left Man United earlier than that. He’s one of those players that feel like he’s been around forever and still only 32.

He was, he joined Arsenal when he was 21 I think. I didn’t mean specifically academy players just their younger players in general. Diaby is another good example.

Arsenal got so unlucky with that generation of players injury wise, the likes of Wilshere and Welbeck careers ruined before they even got started

It’s absolutely barbaric behaviour, and he did that in what he thought was a formal meeting. Imagine what he gets up to when he’s out on the lash man.

I get the feeling Allardyce has been hitting the bottle pretty hard for years now, when he got stung as England manager wasn’t he pictured with a pint of wine?

Such a random link

And yet people are doing the same thing in the Gordon thread right now, some just never learn.