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Team news: Wenger offers update on Koscielny, Ozil & Kolasinac ahead of Chelsea clash

By mac14 on January 2, 2018

Arsene Wenger has offered an update on Laurent Koscielny, Mesut Ozil and Sead Kolasinac ahead of Arsenal’s Premier League clash with Chelsea on Wednesday night.

Ozil missed the 1-1 draw with West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns on New Year’s Eve after picking up a knee injury during the win over Crystal Palace last week.

The German international hasn’t been able to train since the game at Selhurt Park and he’s now facing a late fitness test to see if he’ll be available to face Chelsea, but Wenger doesn’t sound too confident he’ll be passed fit.

Koscielny was forced off during the closing stages of the match at West Brom on Sunday after aggravating his long-standing Achilles problem and the boss says he has just a 30% chance of being fit to take on Chelsea.

Our options at the back are down to the bare bones as Kolasinac has been ruled out for at least two weeks after picking up a knock at the Hawthorns so he’s set to miss the games against Chelsea, Nottingham Forest, Chelsea [Cup] and Bournemouth.

Wenger told reporters:

Wenger is here for his presser early, says Arsenal's injury list for Chelsea is "quite long". Ozil has "little" chance to play Wednesday, Kolasinac out 2 weeks, Koscielny has 30 % of playing.

— Mattias Karén (@MattiasKaren) January 2, 2018

At Colney. Wenger: "At the moment our injury list is quite long. We lost Kolasinac, Koscielny in the game [at West Brom]. The two who have a little chance… Ozil might have a test this morning. Koscielny is 30-70 available."

— James Olley (@JamesOlley) January 2, 2018

Aaron Ramsey is also out of the Chelsea game due to a hamstring injury that’s hampered him in recent weeks while Nacho Monreal is still nursing an ankle injury.

With Olivier Giroud and Santi Cazorla also on the sidelines it means Wenger could be without seven important players for the visit of the defending champions tomorrow night.

We’ve been hit by a spate of injuries at a busy part of the season and our squad is now going to be stretched to it’s limits for a vital game as we look to break in to the top four.