da spicy bet： Arsenal centre-back Thomas Vermaelen will not feature for the Gunners until the New Year as he struggles with his Achilles tendon injury.
da realbet： Vermaelen has been sidelined since early September, when the 24-year-old picked up the problem whilst playing for Belgium in a Euro 2012 qualifier in Turkey.
It was originally thought that the defender would only be missing for a week and Arsene Wenger says there is "no logical explanation" for his lengthy absence.
The Gunners boss said: "Vermaelen is in a protective boot. We want him back and I hope he will be back soon, but not before January."
Wenger added: "On the scan, his Achilles is clear. But as soon as he stays out for a while, it tightens up and he has pain. We don't know the source of his pain."
Arsenal are currently top of the Premier League but there are question marks surrounding their defence. Wenger admits he needs to focus on his back-line and so will be hoping the Belgian will return soon.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email