Arsenal round-up: Emiliano Martinez set to start; Premier League captaincy rule broken; Jack Wilshere contract talks

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David Ospina has been ruled out of the match against West Ham United with a back injury, according to the Mirror. This will force Arsene Wenger to play third choice keeper Emiliano Martinez today and the Argentine could be set for a sustained run in the team. The goalkeeper has played four Premier League matches during his career and he has picked up a lot of experience through various loan spell. He is by no means a rookie, but it isn’t ideal for Arsenal to rely on their third-choice keeper during the most important period of the season.

It is unfortunate that Arsenal’s two first team goalkeepers are out injured and it comes at the worst possible time for them. Tomorrow is going to be hugely important and Martinez must get off to a good start and impose himself on the game. It is crucial that the rest of the team believes in him, as a defence that lacks faith in their keeper often makes mistakes. The Gunners already have their issues and they can’t afford to have a goalkeeper that doesn’t inspire confidence.

A story to emerge over the last 24 hours is that Arsenal have broken a Premier League rule after failing a name a captain for the second half of the clash against Manchester City. Laurent Koscielny went off at half-time with an injury and there wasn’t a nominated captain for the second half. Fortunately for the club, Sky Sports report that if there has been a breach, there won’t be any serious action taken against the Gunners. However, it is embarrassing that they have failed to follow a simple rule.

This comes at a time when Arsenal are being widely criticised for a lack of leadership and this is hardly going to inspire belief in the management of the club. It also suggests that Arsene Wenger is beginning to crack under the pressure. The atmosphere surrounding the club is poisonous at the moment and this story won’t encourage the fan-base that improvement is imminent. That said, it is good news that no further action is likely to be taken against the club.

Finally, after plenty of speculation in recent days about the future of Jack Wilshere, it is reported by the Mirror that Arsenal are set to open talks with the midfielder regarding a new contract. He is one of many at the club that have a contract that expires in 2018 and the Gunners are making steps to make sure that they don’t lose him on a free transfer. His long-term future is uncertain as he is struggling to get into the Bournemouth team, but it is important that the club put themselves in the strongest position possible as Wilshere is a valuable asset to have.

This report doesn’t mean that Wilshere will return to North London next season and the midfielder’s own ambitions aren’t known. However, it is a good move from the club to ensure that he maintains a premium in this value. Regardless of his current form, he is an England international with lots of ability and as such, he is valuable to the club. There are a number of clubs interested in the central midfielder and it could be that he is on the move this summer, regardless of whether he agrees to a new deal or not.

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