Why Andrea Berta could now be enemy number one for Arsenal fans in the coming weeks
This international break has felt like a huge slog for Arsenal fans and football fans in general around the country.
The Gunners have had a large number of players called up and frankly, Mikel Arteta will be relieved when everyone is back and in good health.
Riccardo Calafiori played and came through 90 minutes for Italy v France on Friday evening, while the likes of Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze could feature for England against Croatia.
Nevertheless, this break has come at a cost, with Kai Havertz picking up an injury and also, Christos Tzolis now facing a period out with a hamstring injury.
And because of that blow to Tzolis, Arsenal’s sporting director Andrea Berta could well find himself in the firing line.
Andrea Berta will be hoping Mikel Arteta can bail him out
The injury to Tzolis is a bitter pill for Arsenal to swallow at the moment.
However, for Andrea Berta, it will be causing him stress he doesn’t need right now.
In the summer, Arsenal and Berta allowed the likes of Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus all to leave and subsequently, weaken Arsenal’s options down the left. Despite ambitious bids for players like Vinicius Jr, Arsenal were left to sit with the signing of just Tzolis when the deadline passed.
Now, with Tzolis set to face up to a month on the sidelines at least, Berta will be hoping with every bit of his being that Mikel Arteta and his Arsenal team can keep winning.
With Man City looking good under Enzo Maresca and Liverpool showing signs under Andoni Iraola, there is so little room for error this season with the Gunners. Should the injury to Tzolis cost Arsenal over the period he is missing, then fans will be looking for someone to point the finger at and that man will be Andrea Berta.
Arsenal and Berta knew they needed more options when they allowed that mini fire-sale in the summer.
Now, with Tzolis injured, it’s going to take every bit of luck and class from the rest of the squad to ensure that Berta’s failure to land a replacement winger doesn’t bite Arsenal hard.