Ismeal Kabia missed a Shrewsbury Town game on Saturday for the first time in his entire loan spell, with the club hoping his injury setback is minor.
Photo via Kabia on Instagram
Arsenal have come in for some stick in recent seasons for their usage of the loan market, with youth players often going out to lower-league or overseas clubs only to sit on the bench for a few months and return in January.
That certainly hasn’t been the case with Ismeal Kabia, who had featured in every single Shrewsbury Town game from the start of his loan in August until this weekend.
Of the 27 League Two fixtures, three FA Cup games, and two EFL Trophy matches that Kabia had been at the club for, he’d made the full 32 appearances – including 29 starts. But that run finally came to an end on Saturday.
Photo via Kabia on Instagram
Kabia wasn’t named in Shrewsbury’s squad to face Accrington Stanley this weekend, and manager Gavin Cowan explained why ahead of the game.
“Unfortunately Kabia hasn’t made it today, we thought he might be able to get him through but on assessment today he has not made it,” Cowan said.
“We are hoping it’s minor, we’re hoping it’s just precaution really. He has had a little knock which we were hoping to get him through for today’s game. But he has missed out unfortunately.”
Photo via Kabia on Instagram
Given Kabia was in contention for the Accrington Stanley game until the last minute, Shrewsbury will be hoping he immediately returns to the squad away to Salford City on Tuesday, February 24th.
If not, Shrewsbury have a home game against Walsall next Saturday, then a week’s break before their next match away to Chesterfield on March 7th.