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Arsenal: Mohamed Elneny Injury Has Major Redeemable Factor
By Josh Sippie
Arsenal may not get back a healthy Mohamed Elneny from AFCON, but there is one massive redeemable quality about all of this.
Arsenal’s midfield is the only position that is being hit with injuries these days. Injuries and suspensions, that is. With just Francis Coquelin and Aaron Ramsey healthy and/or with the team and/or not serving a suspension, the options are limited.
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And those options may be even more limited if Mohamed Elneny’s calf injury sustained at AFCON is serious. Even if it’s not, he will still probably be looking at some time off, just like the Euros and the Copa America frequently provide.
Initially, I thought this injury would be quite meddlesome, and I still kind of do. Xhaka’s suspension could have spotted Elneny as serious opportunity to put the pressure on and elevate himself, but at this rate, he may not even get a chance to do that.
That being said, there is one massive redeemable quality to this injury. Assuming it keeps him out for what’s left of the AFCON tournament, which is now in the semi-finals, a very prideful Mohamed Elneny may miss out on seeing Egypt into the finals or he may even miss out on playing in the final.
That has to stress a guy out, especially someone who takes his vocation as seriously as Elneny. This is the kind of thing that could spark a serious perspective change.
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I can think of a few somewhat-similarities. Mesut Ozil, when out injured in his second season, missed out on a lot of opportunities with his new squad. He came back better than ever.
More recently, there was Danny Welbeck. Welbeck missed out on the Euros and on the majority of the Arsenal season, which he referred to as ‘hell’.
I don’t think I need to state again how clear it was that Welbeck has something to prove.
Elneny would be absolutely wound up if he were to miss out on any of AFCON and he is already missing the semi-finals. Obviously we want to see him play, we want to see him lead his nation to glory, but assuming the worst, this is the positive I draw from it.
He is going to be inspired. He is going to be hungry. And now, more than ever, he could be given a chance, what with Xhaka and his disciplinary issues.
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Elneny is steadily growing in relevance and he is still young. He may turn into a serious bargain buy.