Arsenal Injury News: Giroud, Walcott & More…

Arsenal play Bradford City at Valley Parade tonight in the quarter final of the Capital One Cup and boss Arsene Wenger has given an injury and team news update ahead of the game.

Wenger gave the latest on Olivier Giroud, Theo Walcott, Vito Mannone, Nico Yennaris and Ignasi Miguel, as well as confirm the likes of Abou Diaby, Laurent Koscielny and Andre Santos remain on the sidelines.

French striker Olivier Giroud has been ruled out the game after taking a kick to the back against West Brom on Saturday. The boss confirmed he’ll be taking an experienced squad to Bradford but he will once again be without the services of Theo Walcott who remains out with a calf problem. Goalkeeper Vito Mannone is back in the squad but is likely to be named on the bench.

The game might be an opportunity to give some youngsters a taste of the first team squad but two players who won’t be available are Yennaris and Miquel who’ve both been ruled out with back and thigh injuries.

Here’s what Arsene told Arsenal.com.

on the team news…

“The only new player who is not available is Olivier Giroud. He got a kick on his back on Saturday.

He has not recovered and he will be out.

on the squad to face Bradford…

“We will have an experience squad at Bradford. We have a good recovery time ahead of the game at Reading on Monday. So we can use the players we want to use.”

on the players out…

“Theo is still out. Along with Diaby, Santos, Koscielny.”

on Vito Mannone…

“He is back in the squad.”

on injuries to the younger players…

“Nico Yennaris has a back problem and Ignasi Miguel has a thigh problem.”

So the the injury list seems to be growing once again. Just as we get one back, another picks up a knock. But thankfully the majority of the injuries are short-term, apart form Diaby. God knows when he’ll be back playing again.

I’ll have a match preview for the Bradford game up on the site shortly. What would your starting eleven be? Let us know in the comments section below.