Walcott, Rosicky, Diaby, but not Wilshere, make all-time injured XI
Arsenal trio named among the most injured Premier League players of the century as Welbeck suffers setback
A trio of Gunners have made a select Premier League XI - though it won't be one to put on their CVs.
Theo Walcott, Tomas Rosicky and the recently released Arsenal midfielder Abou Diaby have all been named in the most injured Premier League XI of the 21st Century.
Sky Sports reports that the injury-prone 11 were selected on data compiled by the Physioroom.com, which has scrutinised the numbers of days that players in England's top-flight have missed through injury and recorded them in their 'injury table'.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Walcott, Rosicky and Diaby have missed the most in their respective positions and so gingerly take their place in a line-up that will strike fear into the heart of physios the length and breadth of the country. Amazingly another Gunner, Jack Wilshere, fails to make the cut despite suffering 25 different injuries since 2009.
In goal for the treatment table all-stars is former Sunderland keeper Craig Gordon, who's missed a total of 913 days through injury, the result mainly of a serious knee injury.
The not-so robust back four comprises Tony Hibbert of Everton, former Spurs skipper Ledley King, Newcastle's Steven Taylor and ex-Spurs and QPR full-back Benoit Assou-Ekotto. whose 752 days' of sick notes is the smallest of the starting XI. King, on the other hand, whose wounded knees became the stuff of legend, missed a total of 1,318 days.
But that figure pales into insignificance when set alongside Abou Diaby, the former Arsenal playmaker who joined Marseille earlier in the summer. The fragile Frenchman sat out a staggering total of 2,156 days during his time at the Emirates - or put another way, he was unavailable for five years and nine months of the nine and a half years he spent at Arsenal.
He's joined in the midfield by Rosicky (1,188 days) and Owen Hargreaves, who spent 1,179 days hobbling around Old Trafford and the Etihad.
Up front, West Brom's Victor Anichebe and former Stoke striker Mamady Sidibe partner Walcott, who has racked up an impressive 1,030 days on the sidelines in his 26 years.
Arsenal fans won't be surprised to learn that they're represented in the Injured XI more than any other club given their appalling catalogue of injuries in recent seasons.
Danny Welbeck is the latest long-term casualty with the club announcing on Thursday that he won't be seen again "for a period of months", with most experts not predicting a return before Christmas.
Injured XI:
GK: Craig Gordon – 913 days
RB: Tony Hibbert – 1,280 days
CB: Ledley King – 1,318 days
CB: Steven Taylor – 1,205 days
LB: Benoit Assou-Ekotto – 752 days
CM: Abou Diaby – 2,156 days
CM: Tomas Rosicky – 1,188 days
CM: Owen Hargreaves – 1,179 days
F: Theo Walcott – 1,030 days
F: Victor Anichebe – 1,096 days
F: Mamady Sidibe – 932 days
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Today's political cartoons - November 3, 2024
Cartoons Sunday's cartoons - presidential pitching, wavering convictions, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Why Man United finally lost patience with ten Hag
Talking Point After another loss United sacked ten Hag in hopes of success in the Champion's League
By The Week UK Published
-
Who are the markets backing in the US election?
Talking Point Speculators are piling in on the Trump trade. A Harris victory would come as a surprise
By The Week UK Published
-
The Premier League's spending cap: levelling the playing field?
Talking Point Top clubs oppose plans to link spending to income of lowest-earning club, but rule could prevent success gap from widening
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Is a new English football regulator an own goal for the game?
Talking Point PM hails 'historic moment for football fans' but West Ham owner warns it could 'ruin' Premier League
By The Week UK Published
-
English football and the etiquette of leaving the stadium early
Talking Point The belief that 'true fans stay to the end' does not always apply
By The Week UK Published
-
2023-2024 Premier League predictions: champions, relegation and golden boot
feature A look at the top flight talking points and pundit picks for the new season
By Mike Starling Published
-
Man City: can ‘one of the best sides in history’ win the treble?
feature Guardiola’s Premier League champions have two more trophies in their sights
By The Week Staff Published
-
Premier League: Man City vs. Arsenal predictions
feature What the pundits say about tonight’s title race showdown at the Etihad
By Mike Starling Last updated
-
Antonio Conte leaves Tottenham after ‘extraordinary’ rant at players
feature After another year without a trophy, Spurs are now searching for a new manager
By The Week Staff Published
-
Liverpool 7 Man Utd 0: ‘welcome to Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool 2.0’
feature Anfield’s ‘new front three’ were on fire in the humbling of their bitter rivals
By Mike Starling Published