Gabby Agbonlahor has called for the introduction of a new rule which would have left Arsenal with a serious selection headache.
A whopping ten Gunners stars have withdrawn from international duty this window, with Spanish midfielder Martin Zubimendi the latest due to ‘discomfort in his right knee’.
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Given Arsenal remain a chance of winning the treble, some may suspect the large number of their players leaving their respective national team camps is to protect them for the run home.
It’s why Agbonlahor, who won three caps for England but conceded he could have picked up more had he not withdrawn from squads himself, believes the Premier League needs to penalise those who elect to pull out for their respective clubs’ benefit.
Gabby: ‘It doesn’t sit right with me’
“Everyone was on the weekend saying, ‘Ben White deserved to get booed when he came on,'” Agbonlahor said on eSPORTY Breakfast.
“Well, he’s the only Arsenal player still away with the England squad.
“(Noni) Madueke, no problem, you pulled out, you got injured against Uruguay, it was quite a hard tackle.
“I look at players like (Jurrien) Timber, (Eberechi) Eze, (Martin) Odegaard, all pulled out because they didn’t play against Manchester City. Those four players, no problem with it.
“But (Piero) Hincapie, (Bukayo) Saka, (Declan) Rice, Gabriel, (William) Saliba, (Leandro) Trossard, (Martin) Zubimendi had no problems against Manchester City. I just don’t think it’s right.
“If I was part of the Premier League and I was making a decision, I would bring in a new rule, you miss the next Premier League game available if you pull out of international duty. I tell you something, players will stop pulling out.
“Playing for your country is an honour. If I’m Harry Kane, I’m speaking about this and saying, ‘Come on, guys, let’s not go back to what we were doing four or five years ago where players are pulling out non-stop.’
“I get it, (Mikel) Arteta is doing everything possible to win these trophies. Their next game after the international break is the FA Cup against Southampton.
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“I’m just not keen on players pulling out of international duty. It’s an honour to play for your country. It doesn’t sit right with me.”
Fan verdict on Arsenal withdrawals
Whilst Agbonlahor wants new regulations, the Inside Gooners panel on eSPORTY believe the response to Arsenal’s withdrawals has been over the top.
“The reaction is mind-boggling, if I’m completely honest with you,” CJ Needham said. “Sir Alex Ferguson used to do this every week (at Manchester United).
“I think I speak for many an Arsenal fan where we’ve said we’ve wanted to see our players… obviously, you want them to play for their country, there’s no highest honour.
“But you’ve wanted them to pull out of international duty, Saka and Rice in particular. You’re at that point in the season where I very much doubt any player of any club hasn’t got a knock or a niggle, things like that.”
However, former Gunner Adrian Clarke expressed his concerns with the injuries as he added: “It’s a big negative, I’m not rejoicing here, that we’ve had so many players out over the international break.
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“Because clearly, those international medical teams have looked at our players and said they’re not in great nick, and that’s a concern. Whether it’s a bonafide injury, or whether it’s in that sort of red zone of fatigue, our guys haven’t been in great shape.
“Ahead of the biggest, sort of, six to eight weeks of their lives, you’d prefer them to be in better condition. So, it’s certainly not Arsenal being clever, I don’t think, this is mildly alarming.
“Hopefully, by the time that big game against Bournemouth comes around in particular, a lot of these players will be fit and available to play. So, it’s worrying for me.”
Brutal fixture reality awaiting Arsenal
Should the Gunners be as depleted as the plethora of international withdrawals suggest, it would leave Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta with some serious selection calls to make for their FA Cup quarter-final against Southampton on April 4.
The fixtures will then come thick and fast for the north London outfit as they face Sporting for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final just three days later.
Arsenal then host Bournemouth in Premier League action on April 11, meaning Arteta’s side will have played three matches in the space of a week once club football resumes after the international break.
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If Arsenal get past Southampton and Sporting in the FA Cup and Champions League respectively, it will add on even more fixtures to what is already a long and tiring season.
Method to the withdrawal madness?
However, the lure of securing the club’s first piece of silverware in six years should be more than enough motivation for Arsenal’s stars.
Although winning the FA Cup and Champions League is no guarantee, the Premier League title is Arsenal’s to lose with seven games remaining.
The Gunners sit nine points clear of second-placed Manchester City, although the gap could shorten to six should Pep Guardiola’s side win their game in hand.
Arteta and his troops are hoping to avoid a fourth-straight season in which they finish second, having fallen short to City on two occasions as well as Liverpool last term.
