Arsenal FC Cannot Put Their Injury Woes Behind Them

With Wednesday night’s Arsenal match against Stoke RFC still fresh in our minds, a lot of Arsenal fans are recalling what happened the last time these two teams met on the football pitch.

It was Feb. 27, 2010, almost a year ago when Aaron Ramsey suffered a horrific leg injury that was inflicted on him as a result of a tackle made by Stoke captain Ryan Shawcross. Arsenal went on to win the match 3-1, but the injury has had lasting results to the young Arsenal player and the team.

Ramsey has yet to make his return to the Arsenal team since the injury and it is unclear at this point if Ramsey will be able to regain the form that he once had, or fulfill his potential.

The return of the 20-year-old midfielder to the Arsenal team has been highly anticipated. And the Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger has assured us that it won’t be too long until we see Ramsey on the pitch once again for Arsenal.

"He is on loan until Saturday," said Wenger. "After that, he comes back. He could be available for the FA Cup replay against Leyton Orient next Wednesday.”

We will not be able to see Aaron play in the replay for Arsenal as the FA has confirmed that he will not be eligible, having been at Cardiff when the original tie was played.

On Wednesday, Arsenal and Stoke faced off. While Arsenal were dominant in possession, Stoke continued to play tough and bring the game to Arsenal. Early on Theo Walcott had an excellent chance to score, but his shot bounced off of the crossbar and safely into the arms of Stoke keeper Asmir Begovic.

The Stoke keeper wasn’t the only one who had work to do between the posts.

Arsenal’s young shot-stopper Szczesny did well to keep down Stokes aerial threat. Funnily enough, it was Arsenal who scored from a set piece. Jack Wilshere took the corner for Arsenal, and Stoke’s Huth glanced the ball toward Bendtner who controlled the ball with his chest and volleyed it for Squillaci to head the ball in to the goal.

That turned out to be all Arsenal needed for the win. The match ended 1-0 to Arsenal, but the three points are just about the only positives that Arsenal can take from this match. They were not able to get past this match without picking up injuries.

It’s about that time of year again, the time where key Arsenal players suffer injury at the most crucial part of the season. Arsenal’s injury woes have been relatively light thus far this season, but injuries at this point in the season to both Theo Walcott and Cesc Fabregas could hurt Arsenal in their hunt for trophies this year.

Arsenal are still in the running for four trophies and need the pace of Walcott and the vision of Fabregas to keep up their best title challenge.

Arsenal have a run of important games coming up, the Carling Cup final on Sunday being their best shot at silverware this season. Theo Walcott will definitely miss out on the final, possibly much longer, and Fabregas will more than likely be out for that match, as well.

Good news is Arsenal will likely have striker Robin van Persie and center back Laurent Koscielny available for the Carling Cup final against a tough Birmingham City side, another side that brings back horrible memories for Arsenal.