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Mikel Arteta remains confident that his squad can persist in handling with player absences following disclosing that star striker Kai Havertz remains out for a few more weeks.

Extended Absence for German Star

Havertz has been absent for months after undergoing knee surgery. Originally slated to come back earlier in December, Arteta explained the player hit a snag when advancing his rehabilitation and was unable to move forward “the required stage.”

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

Selection Dilemma for Midweek Fixture

This news creates a tactical puzzle for Wednesday’s match against Brentford. The manager needs to decide between sticking with Mikel Merino, who got a goal as a makeshift striker last weekend, or bringing back Viktor Gyökeres, who featured briefly from a muscle injury as a substitute. Long-term absentee Gabriel Jesus is in contention post-recovery.

Defensive Concerns Persist

More doubts affect defender William Saliba and attacker Leandro Trossard, who both missed the Chelsea match. Consequently, new recruits Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapié are likely to start again in the backline for the league leaders.

The manager is convinced the significant outlay on new players ahead of this season has resulted in a more robust situation to navigate such unavailability.

Squad Depth Key to Premier League Pursuit

When asked if a larger pool of players was helping their championship push, the manager agreed. “Indeed, since the current term has seen more issues in some areas, and now what’s happening with the defence,” he added.

“Our previous experiences taught us that we must deploy players in different positions, and they need to be prepared to adapt to new tasks if we want to compete at the top. And the instance of Mikel Merino.”

Arteta's Support for Suffering Star

Speaking about the setback highlighted by Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann, the manager gave more insight. “His recovery was progressing. He was unable to progress to the next level and now it appears like we have unlocked that.”

Arteta expressed his personal desire to welcome him back. “Everyone is eager to have him. Truly, it’s a player that, for me, I admire greatly for what he brings to the team, but his character, his personality. I see him suffer being outside.”

“His fitness history is outstanding, he’s been always available, and I can’t wait to see him return involved playing because I believe it’s going to be a huge lift.”