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The Gunners' boss feels assured that his squad can keep managing with player absences following revealing that attacker Kai Havertz is not ready for the coming weeks.

Extended Absence for German Star

The German forward has been absent for months due to knee surgery. Hoped to be available sooner, Arteta revealed the player faced a hurdle when increasing his rehabilitation and was unable to move forward “the next phase.”

“We took lessons, and managed to assemble a team that is much more reliable and has increased versatility,” commented Arteta.

Tactical Decisions for Brentford Clash

This update leaves a selection headache for Wednesday’s fixture at the Emirates against Brentford. Arteta must choose between sticking with Mikel Merino, who found the net as a makeshift striker on Sunday, or bringing back Viktor Gyökeres, who came back off the bench off the bench. Veteran striker Gabriel Jesus is also available after 11 months out.

Defensive Concerns Persist

Additional concerns affect defender William Saliba and winger Leandro Trossard, who were absent for the weekend encounter. As a result, new recruits Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapié will probably start again in the heart of the defence for the league leaders.

Arteta feels the significant outlay on new players in the last transfer window has placed the club in a far better place to navigate such unavailability.

Squad Depth Vital for Title Challenge

In response if a larger pool of players was helping their title quest, his response was positive. “Absolutely, since the current term has presented greater challenges in certain positions, and now what’s happening with the defence,” he noted.

“We learned from the past that we must deploy players in alternative spots, and they have to be able to adapt to new tasks if we are to fight at the top. And the case of Mikel Merino.”

Arteta's Support for Suffering Havertz

Commenting on the delay noted by national team coach Julian Nagelsmann, Arteta offered additional context. “He was doing everything. He failed to advance to the required step and now it appears like we have unlocked that.”

He shared his keenness to see him return. “The team is keen to have him. Truly, he is a footballer who, in my view, I admire greatly for his contributions to the team, but his character, his attitude. I see him suffer on the sidelines.”

“His availability record is exceptional, he's rarely been injured, and I am eagerly awaiting to see him return involved playing because I think it’s going to be a huge lift.”