With Bacary Sagna injured, Arsenal are relying on Carl Jenkinson.
There is no good time to suffer a broken leg, just ask Bacary Sagna, who will miss Euro 2012.
The slight crumb of comfort to Arsenal fans however, is that their defender will not miss months of club football, but instead the summer.
Even so, with no return date set for the right-back, the club would be wise to consider their options closely.
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Broken legs, like all injuries, can take differing times to recover from, and Arsenal supporters will cross their fingers that Sagna is back sooner rather than later.
A best case scenario for the club is that Sagna returns in late August or early September.
The worst is that he is not back until later October, and even then suffers setbacks upon his return.
By that time the transfer window will have closed and the opportunity to sign cover will have passed them by.
The club’s back-up in the position rests on young Carl Jenkinson, who had a mixed first season.
He impressed against Udinese, yet had a torrid time in the 8-2 loss at Old Trafford. Relying on him would be a gamble.
Arsenal will want a fast start to this season, after a nightmare one this, which saw them pick up just one point from their first three games, leaving them playing catch-up and off the pace of the two Manchester clubs all season.
Even worse, is to consider what would happen if Jenkinson gets injured.
Such an occurrence, with Jenkinson and Sagna cost Arsenal in January, as they slipped to a run of defeats, with both first choice left-backs Santos and Gibbs also missing.
Johan Djourou proved himself incapable of filling in effectively in the position, and Arsenal could either move another centre-back there, or be forced to try another youngster in Yennaris or Bartley.
Failing to prepare for such a worst case scenario of having both right-backs out, is tempting fate.
One option is to sign a new specialist right-back, to compete with Sagna. One option is Jose Bosingwa on a free transfer.
Another is Montpellier defender Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, who can play across the defence, so they would sign a player also capable of playing in the centre.
Wenger could also join the race for Lille defender Mathieu Debuchy, who will fill in for Sagna at Euro 2012.
Is it worth signing a player if Sagna could be due back soon? Well it could be more costly not to, and having the extra competition could only be a good factor for the club.
Either way, with Sagna’s return date unclear, and Arsenal’s limitations without him exposed at times last season, the club should make a plan ahead of next season.
What should Arsenal do about the right-back situation?
image: © Ronnie Macdonald
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