Buzzin Football

Arsene Wenger has called for FIFA and UEFA to investigate whether the players that pulled out of this week’s international games, turn out for their clubs this weekend or in the Champions League next week.

I couldn’t agree more with the Arsenal manager, who says that his team have never withdrawn a player from international duty, but did also raise the question of the timing of the friendly games played this week.

Arsenal paid a higher price than most when Theo Walcott was injured during training at the England football camp. The youngster dislocated his shoulder when he fell heavily and has since undergone surgery that will keep him out of football for three months or more.

It is a cruel blow for Walcott who has grown in stature this season for both club and country, and is certain to be a key player in Fabio Capello’s World Cup plans. The good news for his international prospects is that he is likely to be back playing football by the time the next round of qualifying games come around.

Wenger has accepted the injury was an accident and does not hold the FA responsible, but he must be fuming inside, as Arsenal have so many long term injuries already and a serious assault on the Premier league title is fading fast.

The latest outburst by Arsenal captain William Gallas is just one more headache for Wenger to negotiate.

I am sure that all eyes will be on the team sheets for this weekends Premier league fixture list to see whether any of the international absentees have made miraculous recoveries from the injuries that forced them to withdraw from the mid week friendlies. Not pointing fingers, but it is hard to imagine Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard for instance, not featuring in their club games either at the weekend or in the Champions league games.