30 Mar 2026 13:39:28
Arsenal have 11 players withdraw from international duty. What is that all about, another Arteta dark arts move to keep his players fresh?
30 Mar 2026 14:03:29
Sounds like common sense.
Why risk playing in international friendlies when you're going for a league title.
At least LFC players might get a bit of match fitness on international duty.
30 Mar 2026 14:07:15
Ha, I expected more, but people are taking notes on the Gunners and their dark arts.
30 Mar 2026 14:11:01
They can't screw this up now. He will use all means possible.
30 Mar 2026 14:11:48
I agree with JK23 as well. The international friendlies are absolutely pointless and it makes no sense to be playing them at the business end of the season. If we were in Arsenal's position, I would have expected our players to drop out as well.
30 Mar 2026 14:18:50
Dracred, but they have to be injured etc to drop out, always thought they just can't say they're not playing for their country.
30 Mar 2026 14:54:18
Clubs have done this for many years.
They're not the first, and definitely will not be the last.
From removing them in the last five minutes of the last game, to just saying things don't feel right.
The list goes on to gain any advantage possible.
Why the surprise?
30 Mar 2026 16:24:07
You represent your country when called up, whatever the game, JK23. Other teams, i.e. LFC, Man City, were not allowed to pull players unless they were injured. Plus, if it is right that Man City will be getting a 60 point deduction, then Arsenal can put out the reserves until the end of the season, as the title would be theirs.
30 Mar 2026 16:57:40
You represent your country when called up, whatever the game.
Tell that to the players, Albey, mate.
This has gone on for years.
30 Mar 2026 17:08:37
I believe players can refuse to be called up for the national team, Strom. I recall Matip, Grav and Chiesa have turned down the call up for international duty while they were with us, so it is not without precedence. Don't think they were injured when they did that as well. Granted, it wasn't without consequences since both Matip and Grab were effectively frozen out of the national team for a while, but it is possible.
Besides, this is literally a pointless friendly that they are playing now. It's just being played for the sake of being there and to line the pockets of FIFA.
30 Mar 2026 17:55:11
Arteta's mentor Pep has been doing that at City for years.
{Ed025's Note - all the top teams do it Oli, maybe Liverpool will in the future mate.. :)
30 Mar 2026 18:16:27
Ryan Giggs was nearly always injured when it came to Wales call ups. It maybe had something to do with him wanting to spend some "quality time" with his sister-in-law.
{Ed025's Note - love it Rome..
30 Mar 2026 19:51:57
His brother's wife or his wife's sister? Asking for a friend.
30 Mar 2026 19:58:28
Roy Keane refused to play friendlies for the Republic of Ireland, and ended up being assistant manager! Dunno what message that sends to the players he was over when he was assistant.
30 Mar 2026 20:18:20
His brother's wife, delvecs. Lovely human being is our Ryan. May explain why he's never seen on TV and nobody will touch him with a barge pole. Long may that continue.
30 Mar 2026 21:05:13
Maybe the fans should stop going to these "pointless" games in protest of the top players pulling out because of "injury"?
We complain, and yet the stadiums are still full, for the bigger teams in any case.
Not much difference in this behavior to PSG postponing their matches that fall in between CL games...
Those in power will not change a damn thing until it affects their pockets.
31 Mar 2026 10:12:49
JLC, eleven Arsenal players pulled out of their international games, buddy !!!
{Ed025's Note - i dont blame them Albey, when you are competing for major honours the last thing you want is your players getting injured in a pointless meaningless friendly mate..