Arteta's Delight as Havertz Makes Crucial Comeback for Arsenal
Mikel Arteta has openly confessed that Arsenal have felt the absence of Kai Havertz "big time" during the forward's prolonged injury layoff this season. The German international has been sidelined for the majority of the campaign due to a serious knee problem, which kept him out of action from mid-August until his recent return this month.
Injury Woes and Squad Pressure
With Gabriel Jesus also grappling with fitness issues this term, the burden has fallen heavily on summer signing Viktor Gyokeres to lead the line. The Swedish striker has yet to fully convince in an Arsenal shirt, amplifying the significance of Havertz's return to full fitness. Arteta now finds himself with all three of his primary forwards available, a scenario he describes as crucial for the team's prospects.
"We have been missing him big time," Arteta revealed in an interview with TNT Sports. "He has been out for a long, long time. It is great to see him back and having a start in this context, I think it's really important."
Strategic Rotation and Squad Depth
In a Champions League fixture against Kairat that holds little competitive importance, given Arsenal have already secured qualification, Arteta made a bold move by implementing 11 changes to the starting lineup from the side that lost to Manchester United just days prior. This decision underscores the manager's confidence in his squad's depth and versatility as the season approaches its critical phase.
"Good news, it means we have lots of players available," Arteta explained. "That is what we need with the schedule at the moment. Important to maintain the quality and maintain everybody's minutes."
Careful Management and Future Prospects
Speaking earlier in the week, Arteta had hinted at Havertz's imminent return to Premier League action, marking his first appearance since August. "He is very close," the manager stated. "Obviously he has been out for a long time, almost a year for different reasons, and now we have to be very smart in the manner that we manage the load, and I am sure in the next few weeks he is going to play minutes."
Arteta's cautious approach was evident when he omitted Havertz from the squad entirely for the Manchester United clash, sparking concerns over the player's fitness. However, this appears to have been a strategic move to manage his workload, as Havertz not only returned to the starting eleven but also found the back of the net in the midweek Champions League encounter.
The Arsenal boss emphasised Havertz's versatility and value to the team, noting, "It's great that we have him, that we can use him in different positions, and you'll see him in different positions, and we are really happy to have him." This flexibility could prove instrumental as Arsenal navigate the demanding fixtures ahead, with Arteta clearly relieved to have a key attacking option back at his disposal.
