Dilemmas of the Week - Gameweek 12 (25/26)

Not too many new injury concerns arising from the international matches this time, so this ahould be a pretty brief rundown!

I'm trying to streamline these weekly round-ups a bit from last year, restricting myself for the most part to just the injuries etc. affecting players that are likely to have a major significance in FPL; and also, of course, only to new injuries - I figure everyone should be aware of players who've already been ruled out for some time!  

[For some years, I have found the 'Injuries & Bans' summary on Fantasy Football Scout the most reliable resource for this kind of information; although this site, Premier League Injuries, is a very good alternative (often a little quicker to update, I think - though it did go through a bit of a glitchy period for a while last year).  Go check these out for more comprehensive coverage. 

I see the Fantasy Premier League site has added an improved 'Player Availability' page this year (though hidden under 'The Scout' tab?!). That also seems to be reasonably comprehensive and up-to-date, but god knows how it's supposed to be 'organised' - maybe by 'date of injury'? Obviously, arranging it by club and alphabetical order would be more sensible; but the denizens of FPL Towers seem to have a deep aversion to the sensible.]

So, what are the conundrums we face ahead of Gameweek 12 of the season?

Does anybody need to be moved out because of injury?

Well, of course, the major news is Gabriel pulling a thigh muscle again in Brazil's friendly against Senegal at The Emirates last Saturday. Arteta acknowledged on Friday that it was quite a serious problem, apparently confirming initial speculations that the defender was likely to be out for at least a month, possibly more. That's probably a bit too long to carry him on the bench (particularly as we're so often wanting to start 4 defenders at the moment!). It also causes much uncertainty about how Arsenal's form will hold up without their lynchpin at the back. And the permutations for a possible reshuffle to adapt are numerous: Mosquera, who's looked excellent when deputising for Saliba a few times, would be the most obvious replacement; Hincapie is more naturally suited to the left side of the centrail pairing, but probably doesn't yet have enough experience in the team; Saliba has the experience and inteilligence to move over to the left, but Calafiori or Timber might be more natural fits - leaving room for White or Lewis-Skelly to come back into the picture. Calafiori skipped international duty with a niggling hip problem, and Timber suffered a gashed knee playing for Holland, but neither seem likely to be in doubt for this weekend. Thus, the three remaining members of Arsenal's regular defensive line-up should be still be safely nailed-on, but one of them might be playing a slightly different role; and the shake-up could affect the likely points returns for them, and all of their other teammates.

Matty Cash and Ezri Konsa missed on the internationals with minor muscle issues, but those don't sound serious enough to threaten their availability against Leeds.

Patrick Kluivert picked up a knock while playing for Holland, and Antoine Semenyo suffered an aggravation of an ankle ligament problem while with the Ghana squad; neither problem sounds too major, but might make them a doubtt for the West Ham game.

Maresca has just announced that Cole Palmer broke a toe in a domestic accident this week. Toes break easily and heal easily; unless it's a really gnarly instance, he should be fine again inside a few weeks; and we hadn't heard that he was ready to return after his troublesome groin strain anyway, so this may not really have affected his availability timeline that much. (It might even be a 'good thing' - forcing him to rest up a week or two longer, preventing him from trying to rush back before that groin issue is fully resolved.)

Florian Wirtz and Conor Bradley are apparently unable to play this weekend as a result of problems acquired during the internationals. But at least Alisson is potentially ready to return in goal.

Benjamin Sesko came off with a knee problem in the last game against Tottenham, and is said to be sidelined for around a month. Harry Maguire also had to come off in that game with a hamstring strain: not too bad, but might be a doubt this weekend. And Kobbie Mainoo had been withdrawn from the squad just ahead of that one with a training knock, and is still doubtful - although he hasn't been getting any minutes from Amorim, anyway.

Randal Kolo Muani had to come off early in the Manchester United game last time after taking a blow to the face; apparently he's suffered an injury to his jaw which could keep him out for 6-8 weeks.

Did anyone give other cause to consider dropping them?

Dan Burn is serving a one-match ban for having earned two yellow cards in the last game against Brentford.

Lucas Paqueta and Sasa Lukic are suspended for one game after reaching 5 yellow cards, and a few others are now dangerously close to joining them on a 'totting up' suspension.

Did anyone play so well, you have to consider bringing them in immediately?

I said yesterday that I was really impressed by the recent form of Diego Gomez, Alejandro Garnacho, and Leandro Trossard - although for each of them there are some doubts about their fixtures and how regularly they will start. I nearly added Villa's Emi Buendia to that list, but the doubts about him are even graver, as he's only just graduated to a regular start after more than a year in the wilderness, and there seems to be a continuing question-mark about his stamina/resilience as Emery is still giving him rationed minutes.

Jeremy Doku, Nico O'Reilly, and - to a slightly lesser extent - Rayan Cherki have all impressed recently for City too; but Pep Roulette always gives us pause there. Doku played a few blinders last season as well, and then was promptly dropped because His Pepness felt that he was still unable to implement some of the more abstruse details of his tactical instructions; there's inevitably a lingering fear that this might happen again, however well he's been playing.

BEST OF LUCK, EVERYONE!