Arsenal's Defensive Crisis Persists Even as Training Ground Offers Glimmer of Hope

Arsenal have seen both positive and negative developments on the defensive front during the September-October international break, with Ezri Konsa's withdrawal from the England squad this week standing out as the most worrying development.

Jurriën Timber has returned from injury but is still being managed carefully after limited playing time following his absence in the final two months of last season—aside from 54 minutes in the Champions League final—and the 2026 World Cup.

On a brighter note, Ben White, Piero Hincapié and Cristhian Mosquera have all returned to training. White and Mosquera missed Arsenal's 3–0 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion before the club football break. Hincapié featured on the bench in that game but subsequently failed to report for Ecuador's international camp.

Ezri Konsa a Doubt for Arsenal's Next Match

England head coach Thomas Tuchel revealed that Konsa has been managing pain over recent weeks. His involvement with the Three Lions across the past two weeks therefore looks to have been a calculated risk that ultimately backfired.

The centre-back played the full 90 minutes in the loss to Spain, before sitting out the victory over Czechia and then returning for another full game as England thrashed Croatia.

"Ezri came into camp with discomfort. [He] played against Spain which made it worse. He stayed in camp and tried everything for the match in Croatia and gave the green light," Tuchel explained, in comments that are sure to frustrate Arsenal supporters.

"Unfortunately, he took another hit on the quad and it caused some light trauma. We decided not to let him play through the pain again. Nothing major but not worth taking the risk."

This casts serious doubt over whether Konsa, who joined from Aston Villa late in the summer transfer window, will be fit to feature when Arsenal take on Leeds United in the Premier League on Saturday.

Konsa had already been filling the void alongside Gabriel left by William Saliba's back problem. The Frenchman is not expected to return until November at the earliest, meaning Mosquera could be handed a starting role against Leeds in his first outing since Aug. 31. Match sharpness could be a concern for the Spaniard, but Mikel Arteta has few other fully fit centre-back options available.

White and Hincapié are both natural centre-backs who have been redeployed since arriving at Arsenal. However, White may be required to play at least a portion of the Leeds match at right back.

Timber Continues Building Fitness With Caution

Timber started against Brighton and completed an hour before being substituted by Martín Zubimendi, who has fallen out of favour in midfield but has become a regular presence in defence. The Dutchman, who has spent an estimated 461 days sidelined since joining Arsenal in the summer of 2023, is clearly wary of pushing himself too hard too soon and risking further injury setbacks.

"I have to be very smart about the steps we take. Otherwise, I'll suffer a setback, and I don't want that," Timber told reporters this week.

"I want to play every game and take part in every training session. However, the physios advise me on what is best for me. So, I need to listen to them carefully."

During the international window, Timber featured for 10 minutes against Serbia last month, then played 78 minutes against Greece, before remaining on the bench for the return fixture against Serbia.