RAUL JIMENEZ is in a “comfortable” condition following his sickening clash of heads with David Luiz last night.
Wolves have released a statement this morning giving an update on his condition – and the news is positive.
The match was forced to be stopped for 10 minutes while he received medical care.
Follow ALL of the latest updates below…
ARTFUL DODGER
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta admitted he knows one day he will be sacked.
The Spaniard has led the club to their worst start to a league season in 39 years after the 2-1 defeat to Wolves at the Emirates left the Gunners 14th in the Premier League.
Arteta said: “It’s something that the day I decided to be a coach I know that one day I will be sacked or leave the football club.
“I don’t know if it’s the day after I sign my contract, in a month’s time, a year’s time or six months’ time. I never worry about it.
“My only concern is to get the best out of the players, give the best possible service to the club and become better and better.
“I know, I repeat, in this profession, one day I will get the sack or leave but I don’t know when that is going to happen.”
GORGEOUS GEORGE
Former Arsenal manager George Graham celebrates his 76th birthday today.
The Gunners wished him well on their social media channels.
Graham was the North London side’s boss between 1986 and 1995.
JACK HAMMER BLOW
Jack Wilshere has revealed playing for a ‘smaller club’ like West Ham didn’t ‘suit’ him as he confirmed he had held transfer talks over a January move.
The former Arsenal star, 28, is currently a free agent after his £100,000-a-week deal at the Hammers was terminated by mutual consent in the summer.
Wilshere told Sky Sports: “I’m in a position now where I can make a decision based on footballing reasons.
“[I can] pick the team that I think I could fit into.
“I will have a look at the team, the players, the league they’re in and how the manager wants to play.
“I don’t think being at a smaller club like West Ham really suited me.
“There have been a few talks with clubs, but nothing that I have ever fancied quite yet.”
PARTEY POOPER
Thomas Partey will remain out of action for Arsenal’s ‘next few games’, according to Mikel Arteta.
The £45million summer signing, 27, has missed Arsenal’s last three games after he picked up a thigh injury.
He has not featured for the club since he was hauled off at half-time during the 3-0 defeat to Aston Villa.
And the Gunners will have to march on without him as the injury is more serious than first thought.
Speaking after the 2-1 defeat to Wolves, Arteta provided an update on Partey’s injury.
He said: “I don’t think he will be with us in the next few games.”
TAKING THE MIK
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta’s odds to be sacked have been slashed by the bookies.
The Gunners lost 2-1 to Wolves yesterday and sit 14th in the Premier League.
The Spaniard’s job looked safe as houses at last week, priced at 50/1 to be the next top-flight manager to lose his position.
But Sunday evening’s 2-1 home defeat to Wolves have prompted bookmakers Betfair to slash his price to just 10/1.
Arteta has overseen Arsenal’s worst start to a season since 1981.
NEITHER HERE NOR THERE
Former Arsenal star Jack Wilshere would love to see his old team-mate Mesut Ozil feature under Mikel Arteta.
Wilshere is without a team after leaving West Ham and is looking to find a ‘big club’ with some interested European suitors.
He told Sky Sports News: “I think he’d be a big player in that team.
“I would love to see Ozil play in that team under Arteta but obviously that’s not happening at the moment. He could get on the ball and feed the likes of [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang and [Alexandre] Lacazette.”
WILL TO WIN
Arsenal midfielder Joe Willock had his say after the Gunners lost 2-1 to Wolves last night.
Willock – who started the game at the Emirates – said: “We’re not playing well enough as a team at the moment and we need to stick together and bounce back from this very quickly.
“I don’t think it’s clicking enough and there’s not enough fluidity in the team.
“It was very disappointing. You never want to lose at the Emirates or in any game but I feel like in the first half it wasn’t good enough.”
CAN’T GET AUBA IT
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s lack of goals is Mikel Arteta’s ‘biggest concern’ at Arsenal.
The 31-year-old striker failed to impress again on Sunday as the Gunners suffered a 2-1 defeat to Wolves.
Skipper Aubameyang was the star of the show for Arsenal last season as he chipped in with 22 Premier League goals.
But the Gabon international has managed just one goal from open play in ten matches this time around.
Since his goal against Fulham on the opening day of the season, he has only scored one penalty against Manchester United.
When asked if he was worried, Arteta said: “I think we all are because the main goalscorer of the club at the moment isn’t scoring goals, so my biggest concern is how to help him more to score goals because we need his goals.”
UN(AI)BELIEVABLE
Mikel Arteta has overseen Arsenal’s worst league start for 39 years but is still more likely to win a trophy than predecessor Unai Emery, stats show.
The Gunners went down 2-1 to Wolves last night and slipped to 14th in the Premier League.
NOT MAKING HEADWAY
Brain injury association Headway expressed anger and disappointment at football’s continued failings to protect players from concussion after Raul Jimenez fractured his skull against Arsenal in a collision with David Luiz – who played on until half-time.
Luke Griggs, deputy chief executive at Headway, said: “Only last week we strongly criticised the International Football Association Board (IFAB) for its continued procrastination in introducing concussion substitutes into the sport.
“Too often in football, we see players returning to the pitch having undergone a concussion assessment – only to be withdrawn a few minutes later when it is clear that they are not fit to continue.
“That is the very reason why we urgently need temporary concussion substitutes in football. You simply cannot take a risk with head injuries. They are not like muscular injuries where you can put a player back on ‘to see if they can it if off’. One further blow to the head when concussed could have serious consequences.
“The question that has to be asked is had the concussion substitutes rule been in place, would Luiz have been allowed to return to the field of play? Would that extra time in the treatment room have led to a different decision being made?
“The concussion protocol clearly states that ‘…anyone with a suspected concussion must be immediately removed from play’, while the sport continues to promote an ‘if in doubt, sit it out’ approach to head injuries.
“Time and time again we are seeing this rhetoric not being borne out by actions on the pitch. Something is not right. This cannot be allowed to continue. How many warnings does football need?”
FRACTURED SKULL
Raul Jimenez has had surgery after fracturing his skull in a horrific clash of heads with Arsenal’s David Luiz.
The Wolves striker was rushed to hospital by an air ambulance car after the sickening collision during last night’s Premier League win over Arsenal.
The 29-year-old regained consciousness having been knocked out cold by the initial impact – but scans revealed a fracture which specialists decided needed an operation to repair.
A Wolves statement said: “Raul is comfortable following an operation last night, which he underwent in a London hospital.
“He has since seen his partner Daniela and is now resting. He will remain under observation for a few days while he begins his recovery.
“The club would like to thank the medical staff at Arsenal, the NHS paramedics, hospital staff and surgeons who, through their skill and early response, were of such help.
“The club ask that Raul and his family are now afforded a period of space and privacy, before any further updates are provided in due course.”
‘SAD DAY FOR US’
Arsenal defender David Luiz took to Instagram after suffering a sickening head blow in a clash that left Wolves striker Raul Jimenez lying prone on the field.
The Mexican was rushed to hospital where he was conscious and responding to treatment last night.
A long delay while both players were treated saw ten minutes of first-half stoppage time added on at the Emirates.
The game finished 2-1 to Wolves but Luiz said: “Sad day for us !!! We have to fight together until the end !! Also here to thank u for all messages and ask for everybody to pray for @raulalonsojimenez9 !! 🙏🏻💔 Get well soon bro.”
GR-ART ESCAPE
Roy Keane joked that Arsenal ‘have enough to stay up’ despite enduring their worst start to a season for 39 YEARS.
The Gunners lost 2-1 at home to Wolves on Sunday leaving them 14th in the Premier League.
If Arsenal LOSE to Tottenham in their next Premier League game, they would slip 11 points behind their fiercest rivals.
When asked on Sky Sports if that North London derby feels like a huge game for the Gunners, Keane gravely said: “They all seem big at the moment, don’t they?
“Maybe that might be the best game for them to have next… it’s a derby and it’s away, so less pressure than at home.”
Cracking a smile, Keane continued; “But Arsenal… I still think they have enough to stay up.
“I think they’ll be strong enough to stay in the division.”
ARTETA’S REACTION
Speaking post-match, Mikel Arteta has been expressing his disappointment at tonight’s result, but maintains his delight at how his side reacted in the second half. The Arsenal boss also explained the reasons for why David Luiz stayed on until half-time.
“David [Luiz] is okay, he has a nasty cut. He was conscious. We did all the tests on him and he was completely fine, but he was really worried about [Raul] Jimenez.
“There are protocols. The doctor has to check that he hasn’t lost consciousness which he hadn’t. There are tests they have to do before putting him back on the pitch.
“[At half-time] he was uncomfortable and couldn’t really head the ball so he couldn’t continue.
“When you see the reaction of the players, you know something bad is happening.
“We’d like to send Raul Jimenez our best wishes and our love to him and his family. Hopefully it’s not as bad as it looked.
“It was a really bad result. We had our moments in the first half, but they had two shots on target and scored twice.
“We had a great reaction in the second half and the team showed the desire in how much they wanted to win the game. We created the opportunities, but the goal didn’t arrive.
“I’m disappointed because I think we merited more from the game.
“I have real concerns after losing three games in a row at home – I am responsible for that – but the willingness and desire was there.”
RAUL TAKEN TO TRAUMA CENTRE
Raul Jimenez was rushed to a major trauma centre after being knocked out cold in a sickening clash of heads with David Luiz.
The Mexican striker needed lengthy treatment on the pitch after a collision in the early stages of Wolves’ 2-1 win over Arsenal.
Jimenez received treatment from club doctors and paramedics, including receiving oxygen on the pitch, after being knocked unconscious from the collision.
He was then carried off on a stretcher before being rushed to hospital in an ambulance.
However, rather than go to the nearest A&E ward, he was taken to a major trauma centre.
ROY PUTS THE BOOT IN
Roy Keane was no stranger to kicking Arsenal as a player, and he hasn’t held back from being just as mischievous as a pundit in the Sky Sports’ studio.
“A lot of the players aren’t good enough.”
“I think they look soft and are lacking confidence. I didn’t see the desire and determination to get a result that the manager spoke about.
“I think they’ll have enough to stay up. They should be strong enough to stay in the division.”
CAPTAIN COADY
Wolves skipper Connor Coady has also been speaking about the injury suffered by Raul Jimenez in the first half.
“We were massively worried. We didn’t like it and knew it was bad straightaway.
“It was a horrible clash of heads. It happens in football, but both teams went out and played properly after that and did it right.
“I was at the front, just behind [Raul Jimenez] and jumped with him. You heard it and as he dropped, he landed on his side. I think it was important we kept him on his side to get the doctors on.
“We just hope and pray that everything is okay. It’s a massive result but the one thing that matters is Raul and David Luiz are okay.”
“He’s with the right people and that’s the most important thing.
“To come here and win is no mean feat, it’s a massive result. It’s something we can take forward.”
SANTO SPEAKS
A concerned Nuno Espirito Santo has been speaking post-match about the condition of the injured Raul Jimenez, but expressed his delight at how his players reacted following the awful incident.
“[Raul Jimenez] is doing a scan now, but he’s conscious. He’s speaking and he’s aware. He’s in good hands.
“By the reaction of his teammates and the players of Arsenal, we knew it was serious. We heard them call ‘code red’ and knew it was a bad moment.
“You see the panic in the eyes of the medical staff, and we are worried.
“We were amazing after that. I’m very proud of the team. I always am, but especially today because this team showed heart. A real belief in the way they ran and worked because of what happened.
“We want to grow, we want to improve and we want to have solutions.
“We don’t want to be so predictable, but we don’t want to lose our shape and identity. We can grow, improve our game and have more players involved.”
PAIN IN THE ARSENAL
A third consecutive home defeat means that it’s Arsenal’s worst start for almost four decades.
The Gunners sacked Unai Emery a year ago today with the team in eighth place on 18 points.
Three-hundred and sixty-five days later, and Arsenal find themselves in 14th with 13 points.
Mikel Arteta has work to do.
AUBA DRAUGHT CONTINUES
Is he isolated in attack, out of form or uninterested?
The striker had just 23 touches during this evening’s game and managed only one shot on target.
DANIEL THE DIFFERENCE
Wolves’ Daniel Podence celebrates his brilliant winning goal.
FT: ARSENAL 1-2 WOLVES
Wolves record a first win at Arsenal since 1979 to inflict a third straight home defeat on the Gunners. First half goals from the Portuguese pair of Pedro Neto and Daniel Podence were enough to do the damage despite Gabriel’s equaliser.
PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
THE FINAL WHISTLE GOES!
ARSENAL 1-2 WOLVES
90+4. Wolves clear their lines and that should be enough.
Holding punts a last attack forward. Saka and Willock try to work a crossing opportunity but Wolves chase the pair down.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
