5 Arsenal Players to Watch on International Duty Week of October 6
Another international break is upon us, and though the wait for club football to resume might seem interminable, Gunners fans can satisfy their desire for football by following their favorite players as they play for their respective countries.
There will be a series of friendlies and Euro 2016 qualifiers over the coming weeks, and a club as good as Arsenal always sends several players off to participate.
Let's look at who will be most intriguing to watch in their respective countries' shirts.
Joel Campbell
1 of 5
After an almost universal boarding of Joel Campbell's hype train this past summer, the Costa Rican has failed to have any sort of impact at the Emirates Stadium this season.
Campbell plays much better for Costa Rica, for whom he is the linchpin and main scoring outlet. He has evidently not impressed Arsene Wenger enough in training to get game time, but perhaps an outstanding display for his country would catch the manager's attention.
He'll need to make his mark soon because Arsenal's exit from the Capital One Cup drastically reduces his opportunities for first-team action.
Kieran Gibbs
2 of 5
England are coming into a golden era of left backs, and Kieran Gibbs is beginning to stake his claim to the Three Lions' starting spot.
He has to compete with Leighton Baines, the current starter, and young prodigy Luke Shaw for Roy Hodgson's faith. Baines will not be first choice in the long term but Shaw has the potential to become world class at Manchester United.
Gibbs has been excellent for Arsenal this season—when he's played. He needs to stay fit to outperform his short- and long-term rivals. He's healthy now, though, and England have two games during this international break.
Mesut Ozil
3 of 5
Mesut Ozil has been awful for Arsenal when deployed on the left but more or less up to his usual standard when played through the middle.
It will be interesting, then, to see how Joachim Low uses him for Germany in one or both of Die Mannschaft's upcoming games.
Ozil is usually deployed as a left winger for Germany due to the squad's incredible surfeit of midfield talent, and his quiet performances are compensated for by his outstanding teammates. But Low would do well to tinker with his side, and it will be revealing to see how Ozil does in his unfavored position surrounded by better teammates.
Lukas Podolski
4 of 5
Lukas Podolski, like Joel Campbell, has received very little time on the pitch this season. His cameo during Arsenal's loss to Chelsea means Arsene Wenger might still have faith in him, but he is clearly not first choice.
Joachim Low does favor Podolski, though, even if he does not start all of his country's games. He'll probably get the nod in at least one of Germany's two fixtures and perhaps a substitute appearance in the other.
This is an excellent opportunity for Podolski to show drive and prove he is in good form.
Danny Welbeck
5 of 5
Most of the players on this list have been faltering recently and have something to prove to Arsene Wenger. Danny Welbeck merely needs to show he's staying the course.
His hat-trick against Galatasary displayed the sort of cunning movement and speed of thought that is normally only seen in top strikers. All signs point to him being able to showcase his skills up front once again for England.
Almost all of Welbeck's appearances as a striker before his move to Arsenal were granted by Roy Hodgson at international level rather than his bosses at Manchester United. This is his chance to show that he is really kicking on after Wenger showed faith in him.
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