Big Dave made it through the first six games but didn't play again until February. Club captain and superman Tony Adams is only now once more available to lead the team following an ongoing foot injury that restricted him to just five early season league games. Tone has suffered from the sort of injury that very nearly frustrated him into an early retirement. Lee Dixon our most experienced player, who's been sorely missed in a crisis, was absent until late February, a massive chunk of the season to go AWOL.
Matty Upson having recovered from what seemed like continuous injuries played himself into the sort of form we all knew him to be capable, only to break a leg and effectively end his season at Everton. Keown started the season injured, came back but was then ruled out with a cracked bone in his leg at a time when we needed his will to win. Martin is back in training now and we can only hope his recovery is complete, apart from anything else I'm sure he'll be hoping to mount a claim for a trip to Japan with England this summer.
Sol also started the season with an injury sustained with that other mob he used to mess about with. He was obviously nowhere near fully fit when he arrived and still wasn't at the start of the season, but he shed his excess weight and regained fitness by playing. Campbell was probably only playing because we were so short of players he actually had little option. Ashley Cole having established himself as a key player at a tender age was having a dynamic season when he was ruled out for what seemed like absolutely age. He's just back playing now, but are the white cycle shorts going to be a permanent feature or just a current precaution?
Having lost our number one left back it became the most hexed position at the Club, first Matty got crocked then Gio followed, both ruled out for the entire season. Lauren and Luzhny have also been injured playing in this season's bogie position. It got so bad that I recently followed a Gooner hobbling to the ground on crutches and entirely independently two fellow fans suggested that he was obviously a left-back. As if we haven't lost the services of enough defenders this season Stepanovs succumbed at Villa Park when unfortunately for both himself and the team he was on the top of his game following a run of nine matches in the side.
The forwards and midfield have also been through the grinder. Edu had his share of injuries and problems as the season began. Our new centre forward Jeffers has had nothing but injuries. Freddie took a battering at Leeds and copped three injuries all at once. As Arsene joked at the time at least he got his all over in one go. Parlour followed Freddie and with van Bronckhorst already ruled out for the season our midfield was down on numbers but thankfully Edu emerged to prove his worth to the team. I've made no mention of the other problems like no end of suspensions and players having their homes robbed because they seem almost trivial in comparison. Adding to this major list of absentees the African Cup depriving us of the valuable services of both Kanu and Lauren at a time when both where in excellent form. I can't ever remember having such a depleted squad over the course of the season. To think that Glenda has recently been droning on about the injuries his poor dears have suffered this season. Of course I feel really sorry for them, I really do, but it has to be said Glenda - old age does not count as an injury and it's merely the normal state of affairs for 'Sicknote' anyway.
Now cruelly, as we reach the climax of a tough season, the best footballer in the Premiership has been taken from both us and the French World Cup squad during, what might well have been, the most important four months of his footballing career. It's a devastating blow for Arsenal and Bob, not to mention France, but we wish him a full recovery and look forward to enjoying his silky skills at some point during the 2002-3 season.
Lucky Arsenal? More like lucky my arse! Whoever coined that appalling phrase had no conception of how overworked our physio Gary Lewin was going to be this season. If by some miracle our decimated squad can just keep their numbers high enough to grind out sufficient results to acquire some silverware Gary deserves to be at the front of the queue when they hand it out.
However there has been one perverse silver lining to our injury problems, it has been the way our squad players have risen to the occasion in the absence of Arsene's first choice starters. Or in the case of our left back slot, the way Mr. Wenger has been able to shuffle the pack and work his way right down to the fifth choice player for the role. This speaks volumes for our current quality in depth. Whichever way you look at it our back-up boys have performed brilliantly this season.
No one will forget young Stuart Taylor's performance against Juve at Highbury but he's been just one of many. Stepanovs and Luzhny did enough to warrant the introduction of their own songs when they finally got prolonged runs in the side. No one has worked harder for the cause than Sylvain. There are still those who're not convinced by this particular Frenchman, but even they must admit he's run himself into the ground for the cause and scored some crucial goals into the bargain. Gilles has proved his worth as a squad player once again. Edu is about to become a superstar. Ray has, when fit himself, shown a spirited dedication you'd expect from someone who has been with Arsenal man and boy. Lee has proved to be a very worthy old stager. Gio was just finding his Premiership feet when his season was curtailed and Matty got the chance to show his worth to the squad before his untimely break.
Ten men has been the story of our season. It seems we've either been playing with that many or had that many missing at any given time since about August. All in all it's been very tough in the wear and tear department, but the squad have proved their worth and Gary above anyone deserves a bloody good holiday. Hopefully he'll have far less to do in Japan than he has at our new training ground. Although if Gerrard, Dyer and Owen make the trip with England you have to wonder about the chances of Gary getting any sort of break at all this summer.
Brian