ARSENAL WILL PLAY ON DURING THE WORLD CUP
They sit pretty on top of the EPL log, one point ahead of defending Champions, City.
"He’s a really diligent boy.."– This statements is Mr. David Moyes'(Westham's coach) words referring to Arteta, in a statement published just two days back.
A very close look at that Arsenal team this season reveals their fitness levels, how they run, world without end, this season. This does not happen without a certain discipline, that diligence Moyes is talking about.
In this vein, Arteta intends to shelve any holiday plans during the World Cup. He takes Arsenal to their own World Cup. Infact he goes to thesame area where the World Cup will take place– the Middle East.
The World Cup will ofcourse render the top tier leagues in Europe, at least, on sabbatical(sic), but not Arsenal. Arsenal will create their own league. Okay the news is that Arsenal will be heading for the warm-weather conditions in the United Arab Emirates, particularly Dubai, during the mundial. His target is to keep the players in tip-top condition for the upcoming league restart.
It is common knowledge that the league will go on break by mid-November for the mundial, and to resume after a month.
Arsenal will loose a few players to the World Cup – Bukayo Saka, William Saliba, Partey,Ramsdale, Tomiyasu and perhaps Gabriel Jesus. There might be one or two surprise alterations to that list, however the remainder of the squad still possess significant players– the captain, Tierney,Smith-Rowe,Nketiah,Gabriel(defender),White and so on.
Arteta has seen an opportunity here to maybe gain a decent headstart over other teams(eventhough similar plans are being undertaken by them) by whisking his players away from the winter conditions that will attend to England at that time, into the warm-weather climate of Dubai for intensive regimented training.
The team has been to this city earlier this year during the February break for last season and it was also Arteta's destination for the players in his first season as coach. Well, afterall the "Fly Emirates" theme on their jersey belongs to the national airline of UAE stationed in Dubai.
The EPL is billed to restart on Boxing day(Dec 26th), so during the break Arteta's men will be in camp in Dubai of the UAE(a neighbouring country to Qatar) and he has lined up at least a friendly match during this camping period to keep the players on their toes,continuing to stir in them that intensity and morale for success. The Standard confirms this.
Arsenal are certainly enjoying a much improved season than at recent times with the last two matches being victories over Tottenham and Liverpool. I think that the bunch of players they would have left, is a huge advantage for them– they will basically have their Europa Cup squad with them(someone will say,a squad slightly better even).
