Mikel Arteta has seen several of his first-team stars link up with their international squads, with some in UEFA Nations League action and others playing World Cup qualifiers
Arsenal will return from the international break looking to welcome back some key men and kick on at home and in Europe. Bukayo Saka is due back in April, following Gabriel Martinelli in returning to the fold, and could have a big part to play.
The Gunners remain 12 points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool with just nine games remaining. This leaves them with very slim chances of lifting the title, but they’re well placed to hold off the chasing back and finish second for a third successive season.
The Champions League offers perhaps a better shot at silverware. That won’t exactly be straightforward either, with holders Real Madrid next up, but Mikel Arteta and his squad may well feel confident after demolishing PSV Eindhoven in the round of 16.
,For now, though, the focus is on internationals. A number of European nations will begin their World Cup qualifying campaigns this month, while others – some of whom include Arsenal representatives – have Nations League responsibilities.
Some of those Gunners away with their national sides have been speaking with the media, while there has also been a discussion of those staying at home. Here are Mirror Football‘s latest lines from around North London.
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Calafiori’s midfield hopes
Riccardo Calafiori is keen to show what he can do in midfield as well as in defence. The Italian moved to the Emirates Stadium as an option at left-back or in central defence, but believes he has already added to his game under Arteta.
“Thiago Motta and then [Luciano] Spalletti and Arteta changed me a lot, in terms of vision of the game, spaces to occupy, everything,” Calafiori told Rivista Undici e Cronache.
“But I also think that there are many defenders with better characteristics than me, that’s why I work so much off the pitch and maybe that makes the difference.
“But there are many things that I still don’t know how to do. Among these is the desire to learn to play in as many roles as possible. For now, I feel like I know how to play two, I would also like to learn a third: midfielder. It is a role that has always fascinated me.”
Merino makes Madrid admission
Mikel Merino’s Arsenal team-mates have been asking him about the aura around upcoming Champions League opponents Real Madrid, the midfielder has claimed. Merino is an international team-mate of Madrid’s Spanish players, with defender Raul Asencio joining him in the squad for La Roja’s upcoming Nations League action.
“They ask me what the stadium is like, what the atmosphere is like, if the aura surrounding Real Madrid in the Champions League and their comebacks is true,” the former Real Sociedad star told Onda Cero. “And of course, when they’ve done it so many times, that’s the image people have of them.”
Arsenal are due to play the two legs of their Champions League quarter-final in April, but Merino was reluctant to dub either side favourites. “Talking about favourites is very difficult because the Champions League shows you that the details make the difference,” he added.
England urged to overlook White
Former England star Chris Waddle doesn’t want to see Ben White return to the international fold in any hurry. White ruled himself out of Three Lions contention during Gareth Southgate’s time in charge, but the door is open to a return under Thomas Tuchel.
Waddle has urged Tuchel to prolong White’s exile, though. “I wouldn’t bring Ben White back in. He said he didn’t want to be picked again. He spat the dummy out, didn’t he?” the former winger told 10Bet. “So now he’s all right to play. So, he wants to pick and choose his England career? Listen, you would never say you never want to play for England. I would never have said that.
“I would have played if I was 50. Modern-day players who say that, I’m not being picked, so don’t pick me again, all of a sudden become available. For the time he didn’t play, he didn’t want to play, I would say, well, we’ll give you the same ban. So, if it was a year or two years, then I’d consider you in two years’ time.
“You should never say no to England. If you don’t get on with the manager and you don’t like the style of play, you wouldn’t be picked anyway. But when you get a late call-up, you don’t say no.”
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