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The Gunners' boss remains confident that his squad can keep managing with player absences after revealing that attacker Kai Havertz is not ready for several more weeks.

Prolonged Recovery for German Star

Havertz has been out since the summer after undergoing knee surgery. Originally slated to be available at the start of this month, Arteta explained the player hit a snag when stepping up his training and could not progress “to the next level.”

“We took lessons, and managed to assemble a team that is far more dependable and has increased versatility,” stated the manager.

Selection Dilemma for Midweek Fixture

This development presents a selection headache for the midweek home game against Brentford. Arteta must choose between persisting with Mikel Merino, who got a goal in an unfamiliar forward role on Sunday, or bringing back Viktor Gyökeres, who came back from a muscle injury in the latter stages. Long-term absentee Gabriel Jesus is in contention post-recovery.

Defensive Concerns Remain

Additional concerns involve defender William Saliba and attacker Leandro Trossard, who sat out the weekend encounter. As a result, recent arrivals Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapié are expected to keep their places in central defence for the Premier League front-runners.

Arteta feels the £250m spend on squad depth during the summer has resulted in a more robust situation to navigate such unavailability.

Greater Options Key to Premier League Pursuit

Questioned if increased squad depth was benefiting their title quest, the manager agreed. “Absolutely, since the current term has presented greater challenges in the attacking line, and now the situation with the defence,” he noted.

“We learned from the past that we have to use players in different positions, and they must be capable to adapt to new tasks if we want to compete at this level. And the example of Mikel Merino.”

Arteta's Support for Frustrated Havertz

Commenting on the delay noted by Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann, Arteta offered more insight. “He followed all protocols. He was unable to progress to the subsequent stage and now it appears like we have unlocked that.”

Arteta expressed his personal desire to see him return. “We’re all desperate to have him. Honestly, he is a footballer who, for me, I value highly for the qualities he offers to the team, but his mentality, his nature. I see him suffer being outside.”

“His playing record is exceptional, he's usually fit, and I am eagerly awaiting to see him return with the squad playing because I feel it’s going to be a huge lift.”