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The Gunners' boss remains confident that his squad can keep managing with fitness issues after confirming that star striker Kai Havertz is not ready for several more weeks.

Prolonged Recovery for German Star

The Germany international has been sidelined for months following knee surgery. Hoped to come back sooner, the manager stated the player faced a hurdle when advancing his recovery and failed to reach “the required stage.”

“We took lessons, and managed to assemble a team that is much more reliable and has greater depth,” Arteta said.

Tactical Decisions for Midweek Fixture

This development presents a tactical puzzle for Wednesday’s home game against Brentford. The manager needs to decide between persisting with Mikel Merino, who scored playing out of position on Sunday, or reinstating Viktor Gyökeres, who came back from a muscle injury in the latter stages. Long-term absentee Gabriel Jesus is in contention after 11 months out.

Defensive Concerns Linger

More doubts surround centre-back William Saliba and attacker Leandro Trossard, who both missed the weekend encounter. Consequently, recent arrivals Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapié are likely to continue in the backline for the table-toppers.

The manager is convinced the substantial investment on reinforcements during the summer has left Arsenal in a far better place to navigate such absences.

Squad Depth Key to Title Challenge

When asked if a larger pool of players was helping their title quest, Arteta was emphatic. “Absolutely, because this season has presented greater challenges in some areas, and now the problems with the defence,” he added.

“We learned from the past that we must deploy players in different positions, and they need to be prepared to fulfil different roles if we want to compete at the top. And the example of Mikel is probably the prime illustration.”

Arteta's Support for Frustrated Havertz

Commenting on the delay highlighted by Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann, Arteta provided further detail. “His recovery was progressing. He failed to advance to the subsequent stage and now it’s looking like we have solved that issue.”

He shared his personal desire to see him return. “The team is keen to have him. Truly, it’s a player that, personally, I admire greatly for what he brings to the team, but his character, his personality. I observe his frustration while sidelined.”

“His playing record is outstanding, he's usually fit, and I can’t wait to get him back involved and playing because I think it’s going to be a massive boost.”