Mikel Arteta has announced that Arsenal is reviewing their warmup routines after four players experienced fitness issues just prior to matches. The Gunners’ manager even hinted at the possibility of eliminating the pre-match tradition altogether.
Riccardo Calafiori was the latest player affected when he had to be withdrawn just minutes before kickoff during last Sunday’s FA Cup fourth-round victory against Wigan, making way for Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Earlier in the season, Calafiori had also missed a month due to a muscular injury sustained in the warmup against Brighton.
Bukayo Saka was unable to participate as planned against Leeds United earlier this month, while William Saliba suffered an injury during the August match against Liverpool, although he started the game but was substituted after just five minutes.
When asked if he was considering changes to the warmup routine, Arteta confirmed, “Yes, definitely. They were quite different incidents. The first was Willy rolling his ankle against Liverpool, followed by two similar occurrences with Riccy in the warmup.”
“The other situation was with Bukayo after he rested midweek. He didn’t play against Kairat and then got injured against Leeds. It’s very unusual; in the six years I’ve been here, this has only happened once or twice before, and now it has occurred four times.”
“So naturally, we’re examining it. Willy’s situation was tough to diagnose. Sometimes you want to assess a player during the warmup to see if they’re fit to play.”
“As for Bukayo, it was unexpected; he showed no signs that anything might happen during the warmup. It is what it is, and we need to learn from it.”
Arteta admitted that the recent incidents have increased his anxiety during match preparations. “I feel a heightened awareness in my body,” he explained. “When I hear someone enter my office, I think, ‘Oh no, please,’ because it’s such a sensitive moment.”
“When you have to substitute Riccy for Bukayo, it necessitates substantial adjustments to the game strategy: positions shift, and many factors change, all with just two minutes to adapt.”
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“It forces you to become a better coach because you’re constantly asking ‘what if’ questions, and the number of scenarios increases just before and during the game, meaning you must be more prepared.”
When asked about the flexibility of warmup routines, Arteta noted, “As a former player, I understand the importance of certain rituals; they signal to your body that the game is about to begin. Changing these can be challenging. It’s definitely worth considering the implications of skipping the warmup. What would happen if we didn’t do it? We sit for about 15 minutes at halftime before going full throttle in the second half—perhaps it’s something to think about.”
Calafiori and Ben White are expected to be fit for the Premier League trip to Wolves on Wednesday. Kai Havertz may also recover in time; however, Martin Ødegaard will miss the match, though Arteta is “very hopeful” he will feature against Tottenham on Sunday.