Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has expressed confidence in his side's ability to cope with injury setbacks, citing the recent return of Kai Havertz as evidence. However, the Germany striker will now spend several weeks on the sidelines due to a setback in his rehabilitation.
Havertz had been expected back at the start of this month after undergoing knee surgery in August, but Arteta revealed that he was unable to progress to the next level in his recovery. The manager praised Havertz's work ethic, saying that he was doing everything right but just couldn't reach the desired level.
With Havertz out for an extended period, Arteta must now make decisions on how to line up for Wednesday's game against Brentford. The manager is considering recalling striker Viktor Gyökeres, who returned from a muscle injury as a substitute at Stamford Bridge last week. Alternatively, he may stick with Mikel Merino, who scored in the weekend's win over Chelsea.
The availability of other players remains uncertain, however. William Saliba and Leandro Trossard missed the Chelsea game, while Gabriel Jesus has been out for 11 months. Arteta believes that the £250m spent on new signings this summer has strengthened the squad's depth, particularly in terms of having more reliable options.
The manager acknowledged that greater squad depth is aiding their quest for the Premier League title, saying: "This season has been worse in some areas... now we have a squad that is much more reliable and has more options." Arteta also praised his players' ability to adapt to different positions, citing Mikel Merino as an example of someone who has fulfilled multiple roles.
Arteta's comments on Havertz come after German manager Julian Nagelsmann previously revealed that the striker had experienced a setback. The Arsenal boss expressed his desire to have Havertz back in the team as soon as possible, saying: "His playing record is phenomenal... I think it's going to be a massive boost."
Havertz had been expected back at the start of this month after undergoing knee surgery in August, but Arteta revealed that he was unable to progress to the next level in his recovery. The manager praised Havertz's work ethic, saying that he was doing everything right but just couldn't reach the desired level.
With Havertz out for an extended period, Arteta must now make decisions on how to line up for Wednesday's game against Brentford. The manager is considering recalling striker Viktor Gyökeres, who returned from a muscle injury as a substitute at Stamford Bridge last week. Alternatively, he may stick with Mikel Merino, who scored in the weekend's win over Chelsea.
The availability of other players remains uncertain, however. William Saliba and Leandro Trossard missed the Chelsea game, while Gabriel Jesus has been out for 11 months. Arteta believes that the £250m spent on new signings this summer has strengthened the squad's depth, particularly in terms of having more reliable options.
The manager acknowledged that greater squad depth is aiding their quest for the Premier League title, saying: "This season has been worse in some areas... now we have a squad that is much more reliable and has more options." Arteta also praised his players' ability to adapt to different positions, citing Mikel Merino as an example of someone who has fulfilled multiple roles.
Arteta's comments on Havertz come after German manager Julian Nagelsmann previously revealed that the striker had experienced a setback. The Arsenal boss expressed his desire to have Havertz back in the team as soon as possible, saying: "His playing record is phenomenal... I think it's going to be a massive boost."
... that guy was supposed to be back and now he's out again because he just couldn't cut the mustard apparently 
. And I know Mikel Merino scored last weekend but does it really feel like we've got a solid squad here? I mean, Saliba and Trossard are both out with injuries which is huge considering how much money they spent on new signings... £250m down the drain 
... Arteta's all confident now but what if he's just trying to mask some deeper issues? Anyway, Brentford game better be a solid win or I'm gonna have a melt 
. he was always a bit of a risk for me, you know? still a great player but his body's just never been super reliable 
. and now this latest setback's gonna put him out for weeks... that's really frustrating for arsenal fans like me who were looking forward to seeing him back in action 
. and yeah, the £250m he spent on new signings is definitely paying off - we've got a much more solid squad now 
.
️. but until then, it's gonna be tough for arsenal to maintain their top-four push 
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Just don't get me started on how our squad depth has become a silver lining for us. Like, sure, we're spending a fortune on new signings, but it's actually paying off in terms of having more options and being able to adapt to injuries. I mean, Mikel Merino is proving that he can step up and fill different roles, which is huge for us. It's also a testament to how far we've come under Arteta - he's doing everything right, but sometimes it just doesn't click yet. Fingers crossed Kai Havertz gets back on track soon, though! 
1 week substitute stint = instant starter? pls 
meanwhile saliba and trossard are still out and jesus has been MIA for ages... can't even get a solid squad depth discussion without the obvious elephant in the room 
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? He was supposed to be back from injury and then suddenly can't progress? Like I get that rehab can be tough but that's just frustrating 
- it's like you can feel the squad getting more solid 
. Can't wait to see how this all plays out! 
250m is a lot of cash but it's worth it if it brings depth to the team 
arteta's squad is looking more solid with every game 
. I wonder if they'll go all out and sign someone else in this transfer window 
That's a huge blow. I was really looking forward to seeing him back on the pitch. Arteta says he's got more reliable options now, but that just doesn't feel true. They've still got some major holes in their squad. 
and i swear it was like it had a plan in its head like it was trying to solve the whole thing on its own haha anyway back to arsenal i feel bad for mikel arteta having to deal with all these injuries but at least they're getting more reliable players in 
, but in the meantime, gotta rely on other players like gyökeres or merino 