Former Chelsea and England full-back Wayne Bridge has suggested that Arsenal’s decision to withdraw a significant portion of their squad from recent international commitments could inadvertently amplify the psychological burden on the North London club. The Gunners’ captain, Martin Ødegaard, along with Eberechi Eze, were notable absentees during the club’s recent Carabao Cup final loss to Manchester City, but the situation intensified during the subsequent international hiatus. A staggering ten members of Mikel Arteta’s first-team roster opted out of representing their respective nations, citing a variety of fitness concerns.
The list of players who remained at the Sobha Realty Training Centre instead of traveling includes defensive stalwarts Gabriel Magalhães, William Saliba, and Jurriën Timber, alongside midfield anchors Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi. Offensive threats Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke, Leandro Trossard, and Piero Hincapié also joined the list of those sidelined by minor ailments. This comprehensive exodus stands in stark contrast to the rosters of their primary title rivals; both Manchester City and Liverpool saw only a single player return prematurely from their national camps.
Speaking on The Dressing Room podcast, Bridge articulated that while the move was likely intended to preserve the squad’s physical integrity for the final Premier League push, it raises the stakes for the remaining fixtures. He argued that such a blatant prioritization of club over country leaves little room for error in the race for the trophy.
“You know the worst thing about it? I feel like they’ve put more pressure on themselves now,” Bridge said on The Dressing Room podcast.
“I think the league is done but if they throw it away after doing that, it looks even worse.”
