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Arsenal suffer another striker injury ahead of Europa League clash

By Matt English

LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 15: Danny Welbeck of Arsenal celebrates his penalty during the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 Second Leg match between Arsenal and AC Milan at Emirates Stadium on March 15, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 15: Danny Welbeck of Arsenal celebrates his penalty during the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 Second Leg match between Arsenal and AC Milan at Emirates Stadium on March 15, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) /
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Arsenal have received some tough news ahead of their Europa League fixture vs. CSKA Moscow

After a convincing 5-1 aggregate victory over AC Milan, many Arsenal fans were riding high heading into the next round of the Europa League. Getting quite fortunate in their draw, the Gunners will take on CSKA Moscow in the quarter finals. They will have a big problem going into the first leg, however, as they will be missing their secret weapon in the Europa League.

Striker Danny Welbeck will likely have a limited impact on the first leg at the Emirates, creating a problem for Arsenal. January signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is cup tied and is unable to fill in for Welbeck, so the only other replacement is Lacazette. The problem is not the replacement, but the fact that Lacazette is the only man who can fill the spot.

Welbeck has been crucial for Arsenal in the Europa League, scoring two huge goals against AC Milan in the second leg fixture last round. His ability to lead the line has been a bit erratic at times, but he provided when Wenger needed him most. Having Lacazette as a backup option is not bad, but with the Frenchman coming off a recent injury, many Arsenal fans will be holding their breath as they watch him play.

Wenger could use Henrikh Mkhitaryan as an auxiliary striker if needed, as the winger has a tendency to cut inside anyway. Another option would be to use 18 year old Eddie Nketiah, but that is more of a long shot and would likely only be an emergency choice for Wenger. There is enough quality in the team to support Nketiah should he play, but it is unlikely he will be asked to start and lead the line.

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Having an injured Welbeck at this stage is not the end of the world for Arsenal, but getting him back to full fitness should be their number one priority. Should they advance past CSKA, having only Lacazette as a striker option would already put them at a disadvantage, especially with the big clubs still left in the competition. This could also be just what Lacazette needs for his confidence, so a big performance in the first leg would put a lot of minds at ease moving forward.

Do you think Danny Welbeck will feature in the first leg against CSKA?

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