Only last week, after the transfer star of January was closed without the addition of a supplement to his Arsenal team, did Mikel Arteta talk about the need to be “flexible” in attack to be able to handle the absence of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus.
A discouraging task has now become even more difficult.
After having lost Gabriel Martinelli for more than a month in a hamstring injury in the defeat of Carabao Cup against Newcastle, Arsenal is confronted with the possibility of losing Kai Havertz even longer after he had sustained a suspected crack during the training in Dubai during the it Training in Dubai.
The absence of Havertz would leave Leandro Trossard, Raheem Sterling and the 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri as the only other available attacking options from Arsenal. Saka is still a certain way to return from his hamstring injury, despite the fact that he has performed his rehabilitation in Dubai. Jesus is out for the season.
The absence of Jesus had left Havertz as the only option of Arsenal in the striker position, whereby Arteta admits last week that the 25-year-old may have to start every match between now and the end of the campaign. But he had already recorded a huge workload.
Only William Saliba and Gabriel have played more minutes this season than Havertz of Arsenal's Outfield players. Havertz is already a maximum of 34 performances in all competitions that have made 51 in the past term. Moreover, the role of no. 9 under Arteta is unique physically demanding.
Premier League tracking data for this season shows it. Jesus and Havertz are the first and fifth, respectively, covered by distance per 90 minutes. It is worthwhile to notice Dominic Solanke, who runs a similar amount of running for their North London Rivals Tottenham, has lately also been sidelined by an injury.
Of course, injuries cannot be loaded alone. Happiness also plays a major role. But especially in the case of Havertz, it should not be a big surprise. Arteta described him last week as a “genetic powerhouse”, but every player has his limits and Havertz certainly looked close to him in the recent games of Arsenal.
He produced an epic shift, even according to his standards, in the 1-0 win over wolves in which Arsenal played for almost an hour with 10 men. He then played 89 minutes of the 5-1 victory over Manchester City and completed the 90 road to Newcastle, even though that draw was dead in the second half.
Arteta's hand was, at least to a certain extent, forced due to a lack of available alternatives. But it is reasonable to wonder if more could have been done to protect a player who was run further this season than someone else in Arsenal and is also top for busy and offensive runs.
The concern is that a break in the warm weather is meant for rest and recovery may have been too late for Havertz.
Who could fill in at No. 9?
Arteta mentioned all three Trossard, Sterling and Nwaneri last week as False-Nine Options. The first looks the favorite for the track that 723 Premier League minutes played in the position for Arsenal, about a quarter of his total since his arrival two years ago.
Whether he could give the required target threat is another question. Havertz's finish is sometimes frustrated, but he is the top scorer of Arsenal with nine goals in the Premier League. His total of 15 in all competitions had put him on the right track for the highest scoring season of his career.
Trossard, on the other hand, has only found five times a total of five times and has scored this period only once, in the 2-1 win over Tottenham in January, in his last 18 performances in all competitions.
The shape of Sterling is even less convincing.
The Chelsea -Leenlee has shown signs of improvement in recent cameies. His total of five tackles against Spurs was his second highest in a Premier League match.
But he only scored all season, in the Carabao Cup against Bolton. His lack of trust for the goal was summarized by his missed punishment in the victory of the Champions League over Girona.
Then there is Nwaneri. Moving a player of only 17 in such an unknown role would be a huge question from Arteta, but the Academy product certainly looks at Arsenal's largest target threat at the moment.
With seven goals in just 700 minutes this season, its average of 0.90 per 90 minutes is the highest of all Premier League players in all competitions. He is also at the top under arsenal players for shots on goal per 90 minutes, as well as shooting accuracy and shot conversion.
Given the danger he is when cutting the right side and focusing shots on the far corner, as he successfully did in the recent matches against Girona and Manchester City, Arteta may feel better to get rid of him in his natural position.
An alternative option for Arteta would be to go off-piste and use one of his midfielders again.
Would Mikel Merino be worth testing in the position? It would be a tough task for the Spain International, who still finds his feet in English football, but at least he has the physical qualities and air force to serve as an exhaust valve in a similar style like Havertz.
Regardless of what Arteta does in the No. 9 position, he will also have to become creative in the broad positions. Trossard, Sterling and Nwaneri cannot be expected to play every minute. Others, such as Myles Lewis-Skelly or even Kieran Tierney, may have to be used further ahead.
Arteta has of course already promoted the best Academy players from the club in Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly, but others on the edge of the first team, such as Wingers Nathan Butler-Yedeji and ISMAL Cabia, must now also be called.
Injury crisis contributes to questions in January
What is certain is that there is no perfect solution.
Arsenal is already six points behind the Premier League leaders Liverpool, who play their match against Everton on Wednesday evening. They cannot afford any further slip-ups, regardless of the result in that game in Goodison Park.
But the reality is that sights might have to be lowered. The title chances of Arsenal were already struck by the injuries to Jesus, Saka and Martinelli, and although the last two are coming back in the coming weeks and months, the addition of Overtz to the long -term absentee is still the toughest blow.
Everything serves to check the decision of Arsenal not to reinforce in January, after he has failed in an bid for Ollie Watkins from Aston Villa. The club's attitude was that it was better to wait for the summer when long -term goals became available. But it felt like a gamble even before their injury crisis got deeper. It is one that failed.
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