Mikel Arteta Applauds ‘More Reliable’ Squad and Reveals Havertz Injury Blow.
Arsenal's manager remains confident that his side can continue to cope with fitness issues following revealing that forward Kai Havertz is not ready for several more weeks.
Prolonged Recovery for German Star
Havertz has been sidelined for months following an operation on his knee. Hoped to be available at the start of this month, Arteta revealed the player encountered a problem when advancing his rehabilitation and could not progress “the next phase.”
“Our experience helped us build a team that is much more reliable and has increased versatility,” stated the manager.
Tactical Decisions for Brentford Clash
This development leaves a tactical puzzle for Wednesday’s match against Brentford. A decision is required between persisting with Mikel Merino, who scored playing out of position on Sunday, or reinstating Viktor Gyökeres, who made a return after a fitness issue as a substitute. Long-term absentee Gabriel Jesus is also available post-recovery.
Defensive Concerns Linger
More doubts affect defender William Saliba and attacker Leandro Trossard, who were absent for the Chelsea match. Therefore, summer signings Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapié will probably start again in the backline for the league leaders.
The manager is convinced the significant outlay on new players during the summer has resulted in a more robust situation to navigate such unavailability.
Squad Depth Vital for Title Challenge
In response if increased squad depth was aiding their title quest, his response was positive. “Yes, as this campaign has presented greater challenges in the attacking line, and now the problems with the backline,” he noted.
“We learned from the past that we have to use players in different positions, and they must be capable to perform various functions if we are to fight at the highest level. And the example of Mikel is just the best one.”
Manager’s Sympathy for Frustrated Star
Addressing the complication highlighted by Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann, Arteta offered further detail. “He followed all protocols. He failed to advance to the next level and now it appears like we have overcome that hurdle.”
Arteta expressed his keenness to see him return. “The team is keen to have him. Truly, he is a footballer who, for me, I admire greatly for his contributions to the team, but his character, his attitude. I observe his frustration on the sidelines.”
“His availability record is exceptional, he's rarely been injured, and I look forward to have him back with the squad on the pitch because I feel it’s going to be a huge lift.”
