Mikel Arteta remains confident that his side can continue to cope with injury setbacks following revealing that forward Kai Havertz is not ready for several more weeks.
Prolonged Recovery for Havertz
The Germany international has been absent since the summer following knee surgery. Initially expected to come back at the start of this month, Arteta revealed the player hit a snag when increasing his rehabilitation and could not progress “to the next level.”
“We took lessons, and managed to assemble a group that is far more dependable and has greater depth,” commented Arteta.
Tactical Decisions for Brentford Clash
This update leaves a selection headache for the midweek match against Brentford. A decision is required between sticking with Mikel Merino, who got a goal in an unfamiliar forward role on Sunday, or reinstating Viktor Gyökeres, who made a return from a muscle injury as a substitute. Veteran striker Gabriel Jesus is also in contention following a lengthy absence.
Fitness Doubts Persist
Further fitness issues affect defender William Saliba and attacker Leandro Trossard, who sat out the Chelsea match. Therefore, summer signings Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapié are expected to keep their places in central defence for the table-toppers.
Arteta feels the significant outlay on squad depth during the summer has left Arsenal in a far better place to deal with such absences.
Squad Depth Key to Premier League Pursuit
Questioned if increased squad depth was aiding their championship push, the manager agreed. “Indeed, as this campaign has been worse in certain positions, and now the situation with the backline,” he noted.
“We learned from the past that we must deploy players in various roles, and they need to be prepared to perform various functions if we are to fight at this level. And the example of Mikel Merino.”
Manager’s Sympathy for Frustrated Havertz
Commenting on the complication noted by Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann, the manager gave additional context. “He was doing everything. He was unable to progress to the required step and now it appears like we have unlocked that.”
The manager conveyed his eagerness to welcome him back. “The team is keen to have him. I mean, he is a footballer who, personally, I admire greatly for his contributions to the team, but his character, his personality. I see him suffer while sidelined.”
“His fitness history is exceptional, he’s been always available, and I look forward to see him return with the squad on the pitch because I believe it’s going to be a significant uplift.”
