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Arsenal's manager remains confident that his team can persist in handling with player absences following revealing that star striker Kai Havertz is not ready for a few more weeks.

Prolonged Recovery for German Star

The German forward has been absent for months due to knee surgery. Initially expected to be available sooner, Arteta revealed the player faced a hurdle when stepping up his recovery and was unable to move forward “to the next level.”

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

Selection Dilemma for Brentford Clash

This development presents a selection headache for the midweek home game against Brentford. A decision is required between persisting with Mikel Merino, who scored playing out of position on Sunday, or reinstating Viktor Gyökeres, who came back off the bench off the bench. Veteran striker Gabriel Jesus is also available following a lengthy absence.

Defensive Concerns Linger

Additional concerns affect centre-back William Saliba and attacker Leandro Trossard, who were absent for the Chelsea match. Consequently, summer signings Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapié are likely to keep their places in the backline for the table-toppers.

Arteta feels the substantial investment on new players ahead of this season has resulted in a far better place to navigate such absences.

Greater Options Key to Title Challenge

When asked if increased squad depth was helping their championship push, Arteta was emphatic. “Indeed, as this campaign has presented greater challenges in the attacking line, and now the problems with the backline,” he noted.

“Our previous experiences taught us that we need to utilize players in alternative spots, and they must be capable to adapt to new tasks if we want to compete at the highest level. And the instance of Mikel is probably the prime illustration.”

Manager’s Sympathy for Suffering Havertz

Commenting on the complication noted by national team coach Julian Nagelsmann, Arteta provided further detail. “His recovery was progressing. He failed to advance to the required step and now the signs are like we have solved that issue.”

Arteta expressed his personal desire to see him return. “The team is keen to have him. I mean, it’s a player that, personally, I admire greatly for his contributions to the team, but his personality, his attitude. I observe his frustration while sidelined.”

“His fitness history is phenomenal, he's usually fit, and I am eagerly awaiting to get him back around the team and playing because I feel it’s going to be a significant uplift.”