Arsenal are stepping up their plans for the upcoming break as domestic football steps aside for the first ever winter World Cup in Qatar. The Gunners' final game before the mid-season interruption comes away at Wolves on November 12, with their Premier League return pencilled in for December 26 at home to West Ham, but with a potential Carabao Cup fixture set for December 21.
The likes of Bukayo Saka, Granit Xhaka, Thomas Partey, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Matt Turner are likely to be involved for their nations, but there will also be some players left behind. This leaves Mikel Arteta with the task of keeping them fresh and fit for their immediate return to action in the league.
"It’s a completely unprecedented season," Arteta said on the upcoming tournament. "Not only because we are going to be playing a lot of weeks with two or three games, but especially because we have the World Cup coming up. We don’t know how that’s going to affect us, so we have to look at the overall picture. The preparation and the organisation is being done in regards to that."
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As many as 15 first-team senior stars could be left out of the competition, with a few being snubbed for the recent international break by their nations. With a view to keeping them fit and ready for action, football.london understands that a warm weather camp to Dubai is under consideration for early December, with the proximity to the World Cup also allowing those whose nations have been knocked out to join the squad too. It's understood that the Gunners may arrange friendlies with other teams who'll also be out there, although nothing has been confirmed at this stage.
football.london also understands that there is a consideration for a friendly at the Emirates Stadium on December 17 against a team to prepare them for the possibility of a Carabao Cup match just four days later on December 21. This would likely be against a Championship team or a side from abroad that are also looking to build up match fitness.
Arteta will be hoping his side will be as fresh as possible for the upcoming task, with the mid-season break potentially altering the course of the season for anyone in the Premier League. The training camp and friendly could be their way of making sure they are best prepared for the second half of the campaign.
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