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The Gunners' boss has expressed confidence that his team can persist in handling with fitness issues following revealing that star striker Kai Havertz remains out for the coming weeks.

Prolonged Recovery for German Star

Havertz has been sidelined since the summer following an operation on his knee. Originally slated to be available sooner, the manager stated the player hit a snag when advancing his recovery and could not progress “the required stage.”

“Our experience helped us build a group that is far more dependable and has increased versatility,” commented Arteta.

Tactical Decisions for Midweek Fixture

This update creates a dilemma for Wednesday’s match against Brentford. A decision is required between sticking with Mikel Merino, who found the net playing out of position last weekend, or recalling Viktor Gyökeres, who came back after a fitness issue in the latter stages. Long-term absentee Gabriel Jesus is also available after 11 months out.

Fitness Doubts Linger

More doubts surround centre-back William Saliba and attacker Leandro Trossard, who were absent for the weekend encounter. As a result, recent arrivals Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapié will probably keep their places in the heart of the defence for the Premier League front-runners.

The manager is convinced the substantial investment on squad depth ahead of this season has resulted in a more robust situation to deal with such absences.

Greater Options Vital for Title Challenge

Questioned if increased squad depth was benefiting their title quest, his response was positive. “Yes, since the current term has seen more issues in the attacking line, and now what’s happening with the defence,” he continued.

“We learned from the past that we must deploy players in different positions, and they must be capable to adapt to new tasks if we want to compete at the highest level. And the case of Mikel is just the best one.”

Arteta's Support for Suffering Havertz

Speaking about the delay noted by Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann, the manager gave additional context. “He followed all protocols. He failed to advance to the required step and now the signs are like we have solved that issue.”

Arteta expressed his eagerness to welcome him back. “The team is keen to have him. I mean, Havertz is someone that, personally, I value highly for what he brings to the team, but his mentality, his nature. I see him suffer while sidelined.”

“His fitness history is outstanding, he's usually fit, and I can’t wait to have him back with the squad and playing because I feel it’s going to be a significant uplift.”