Wenger discusses injuries, Wilshere and Ozil
Arsene Wenger has discussed Arsenal’s injury list, as well as Jack Wilshere, Mesut Ozil and more.
Arsenal currently have five players sidelined through injury, with Santi Cazorla (knee), Aaron Ramsey (thigh), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (knee), Mathieu Flamini (thigh) and Carl Jenkinson (knee) all out.
Speaking ahead of the Gunners’ Premier League clash with Watford on Saturday, Wenger issued an injury update on his squad.
“The players have come back in good shape,” said the Frenchman. “Petr Cech will join in training today. I haven’t decided if he will be in the squad for tomorrow.
“Wilshere and [Tomas] Rosicky are back in training. Cazorla has started to run but is a few weeks away.”
Midfielder Wilshere continues his recovery from a leg injury which has sidelined him for the whole of the season, and Wenger said that the 24-year-old is still in line to make the England squad for the summer’s European Championship.
“I’ll be cautious with him now but he will be back fully competitive in a few weeks,” Wenger said of Wilshere. When asked whether the midfielder could make the England squad, the manager simply replied: “Yes.
“Once he will be completely fit and competitive he will be available for Arsenal and the national team. Why not?” Wenger added. “Your players want to compete at the top level and Jack is frustrated enough so it’s important for him to go to the Euros and get that confidence.”
On Oxlade-Chamberlain, Wenger said: “He should be available, there are no special concerns. [He is] three to four weeks away.”
Arsenal are third in the Premier League table, six points behind bitter rivals Tottenham and a further five behind leaders Leicester with just eight games remaining.
But Wenger feels his side can still win the title – if they win all their games.
“The target is to win the games. Let’s be pragmatic. It starts tomorrow,” Wenger said. “[79 points] could be enough but it depends on the results of Leicester. Nobody knows how they will respond in their last games.
“Everybody doubts us so for the teams behind us it’s even more difficult.
“Leicester at the moment is in a very strong position but they can still lose it. But we have to perform.”
