Had a list been drafted up halfway through the season of the Arsenal players that Mikel Arteta could not afford to lose in their pursuit of top four, it would have been fairly lengthy. There have been so many top performers and so little depth of quality available in crucial areas that any big absence might’ve derailed the club’s hopes.
However, Arsenal have coped well when losing the likes of Granit Xhaka to a long-term injury in the first half of the season in addition to the African Cup of Nations participants. Yet, when it was confirmed that Takehiro Tomiyasu had suffered a calf injury, worry rightly set in.
The Japanese international has been such an important part of the back five that had cemented its place as one of the top defensive units in the league. The replacement, Cedric Soares, did not invoke confidence in the supporter base after the experienced full-back had partaken in a number of uninspiring performances in previous seasons.
