Arsenal: Tomas Rosicky’s Fate Undeserved

The Czech Republic’s run in Euro 2016 feels like a tragic piece of epic poetry. With their captain, Arsenal’s Tomáš Rosický, having been ruled out with a muscle fiber injury (hamstring) not many outcomes were possible for the Czech’s.

The Czech Republic was drawn into a difficult group that included the reigning tournament champions Spain, Modrić/Rakitić’s resilient Croatia and a final match vs. Turkey. It was always going to be an uphill battle to defeat Spain or take any points from the match. But, with Arsenal‘s Rosický in the side, the Czech Republic kept the game close and succumbed to a 1-0 defeat.

Related Story: A Case For Tomáš Rosický

Against Croatia, Rosický sparked the comeback as he set up Skoda for the Czech’s opening goal of the match. This helped the Czech Republic come back from two goals down to keep their hopes of progressing through the tournament alive.

Then, unfortunately, the expected happened, Rosický injured a muscle during the Croatia game.

At 35, Tomáš is the oldest player to appear for the Czech Republic at a Euro tournament.

My memories of Tomáš Rosický are incredibly fond, to say the least. He’s one of my favorite players to have ever played the game and led me to discover my love for Arsenal.

Rosický single-handedly dismantled the USMNT in the 2006 World Cup. His goals were ridiculous.

P.S. notice the first bit of audio in the video. “That was Tomáš Rosický. He’s been struggling with a bit of a thigh injury”. Sigh.

Skip to 1:04 and enjoy the rest. He was moving to Arsenal that summer.

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For me, no single game has ever influenced to such an extreme. Tomáš Rosický was clearly on another level compared to any other player on the pitch. His intensity and passion when covering every blade of grass was unrivaled. Plus we played the same position. I’d even try to copy his goal celebrations.

I would watch him play for Arsenal, and I’d study him. I wanted to learn what he’d do off the ball, what runs he was making, and how he controlled the tempo of a game. I grew to love his playing style and what it did for Arsenal.

But a healthy Tomáš started to become rare for Arsenal, especially after an Achilles tendon surgery in 2012. Muscle and knee problems became the norm and nothing ever seemed to return to how it was.

I was only able to catch glimpses of my favorite player. It was bittersweet.

Rosický’s injury list continued to be just as unfortunate as it was atrocious. Three injuries in Arsenal’s 15/16 season.

Knee operation in mid-June 2015, muscle injury to start the new year right and hamstring once more just about a week ago. So far he’s been ruled out for about 300 days of the season.

300 days.

There seems to be a dark cloud that follows Rosický around and every time he starts to put together a few games together; he gets injured.

Is it any surprise that the Czech Republic was unable to defeat Turkey in the ‘win or go home’ final match of the group? Of course not.

Without the little Mozart pulling the string for the Czech Republic, there was dullness to the team’s ferocity in attack. It cannot be coincidence that his latest injury at the Euros has seen his national team be eliminated from the competition without escaping the group stage.

But this hasn’t only happened once, or twice. The conundrum is becoming a reoccurring theme for Tomáš Rosický.

And the even more disheartening aspect is that his injury record restricts his ability to properly influence a season or tournament for club or country. His injuries can often condemn the squad he’s representing.

It unfairly sums up his career, doesn’t it?

Next: Potential Alexis Sanchez Injury End Of The World

Many may only remember Tomáš Rosický for his infamous injury record, but Rosický’s talents are deserving of much, much more.