The Gunners' boss has expressed confidence that his team can keep managing with injury setbacks following confirming that star striker Kai Havertz is not ready for several more weeks.
The German forward has been out since the summer after undergoing an operation on his knee. Hoped to be available sooner, Arteta explained the player faced a hurdle when advancing his recovery and could not progress âthe next phase.â
âOur experience helped us build a team that is considerably steadier and has increased versatility,â stated the manager.
This update leaves a dilemma for Wednesdayâs fixture at the Emirates against Brentford. The manager needs to decide between persisting with Mikel Merino, who found the net in an unfamiliar forward role on Sunday, or recalling Viktor Gyökeres, who came back off the bench as a substitute. Long-term absentee Gabriel Jesus is also in contention following a lengthy absence.
Additional concerns involve defender William Saliba and attacker Leandro Trossard, who were absent for the weekend encounter. Consequently, recent arrivals Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapié will probably keep their places in central defence for the league leaders.
Arteta believes the ÂŁ250m spend on squad depth in the last transfer window has resulted in a far better place to navigate such absences.
When asked if more options was helping their title quest, his response was positive. âIndeed, because this season has presented greater challenges in the attacking line, and now the problems with the backline,â he added.
âOur previous experiences taught us that we need to utilize players in alternative spots, and they have to be able to adapt to new tasks if we aim to challenge at the highest level. And the example of Mikel Merino.â
Commenting on the delay noted by national team coach Julian Nagelsmann, the manager gave additional context. âHis recovery was progressing. He failed to advance to the next level and now it appears like we have unlocked that.â
Arteta expressed his eagerness to have him back. âEveryone is eager to have him. Honestly, Havertz is someone that, in my view, I love so much for the qualities he offers to the team, but his mentality, his nature. I observe his frustration on the sidelines.â
âHis availability record is outstanding, he's rarely been injured, and I canât wait to see him return involved playing because I feel itâs going to be a huge lift.â
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Rita Jenkins
Rita Jenkins