'Bad' injuries for Gunners duo

Adebayor and Walcott hurt in Stoke defeat

Last updated: 2nd November 2008

'Bad' injuries for Gunners duo

Walcott: Stretchered off

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Arsene Wenger says Arsenal duo Emmanuel Adebayor and Theo Walcott suffered 'very bad injuries' in the 2-1 defeat at Stoke City.

Adebayor was replaced by Carlos Vela after 73 minutes of the loss at the Britannia Stadium after picking up a couple of knocks.

Walcott had only been introduced as a second-half substitute, but was stretchered off with a suspected shoulder injury in the dying embers of the game.

Though Wenger did not confirm the severity of the two players' injuries, the Gunners boss hinted that Adebayor and Walcott could be out for several weeks.

Short on sharpness

"We have very bad injuries to Adebayor and Walcott, and there is (Bacary) Sagna," Wenger told reporters.

"One or two have knocks as well. It is the kind of game we played today and when you are a little bit short on sharpness, you are less agile and get out of tackles less quickly."

Arsenal also had substitute Robin van Persie sent off for barging into Stoke keeper Thomas Sorensen, but Wenger feels the Dutchman was harshly treated.

He added: "I think that the red card was very, very harsh.

"If you get [Andy] Griffin without a yellow card today and Robin with a red, then I have to review my rulebook.

"He shouldn't have done it, but I don't think it was a red card."