Kai Havertz: Arsenal ahead’s hamstring damage deepens disaster, so what does Mikel Arteta do in assault now?

Solely final week, after the January switch window had closed with out the addition of a ahead to his Arsenal squad, Mikel Arteta spoke in regards to the must be “flexible” in assault to deal with the absences of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus.

A frightening job has develop into much more troublesome now.

Having already misplaced Gabriel Martinelli to a hamstring damage for greater than a month within the Carabao Cup defeat to Newcastle, Arsenal are fearful Kai Havertz’s season might be over after he suffered a suspected tear to the identical muscle whereas coaching in Dubai.

Havertz’s absence leaves Leandro Trossard, Raheem Sterling and the 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri as Arsenal’s solely different accessible attacking choices. Saka continues to be a way from getting back from his hamstring downside, regardless of stepping up his rehabilitation in Dubai. Jesus is out for the season together with his knee damage.

The absence of Jesus had left Havertz as Arsenal’s solely choice within the striker place, with Arteta admitting final week that the 25-year-old might have to begin each recreation between now and the top of the marketing campaign. However he had already shouldered an enormous workload.

Solely William Saliba and Gabriel have performed extra minutes than Havertz of Arsenal’s outfield gamers this season. Havertz is already as much as 34 appearances in all competitions having made 51 final time period. On prime of that, the function of the No 9 underneath Arteta is uniquely demanding bodily.

Premier League monitoring information for this season reveals it. Jesus and Havertz rank first and fifth respectively amongst strikers for distance lined per 90 minutes. It’s price noting Dominic Solanke, who will get by way of an analogous quantity of working for his or her north London rivals Tottenham, has additionally been sidelined by an damage recently.

After all, accidents should not solely all the way down to load. Luck performs an element too.

However in Havertz’s case, particularly, it ought to come as no nice shock that he has fallen sufferer. Arteta described him as a “genetic powerhouse” final week however each participant has his limits and Havertz appeared near his in Arsenal’s latest video games.

He produced an epic shift, even by his requirements, within the 1-0 win over Wolves wherein Arsenal performed nearly an hour with 10 males. He then performed 89 minutes of the 5-1 victory over Manchester Metropolis and accomplished the 90 away to Newcastle regardless of that tie being lifeless for many of the second half.

Arteta’s hand was pressured, not less than to some extent, by a scarcity of obtainable options. However it’s cheap to marvel if extra may have been performed to guard a participant who has lined extra floor than anybody else at Arsenal this season and in addition ranks prime for pressures and attacking runs.

A warm-weather break supposed for much-needed relaxation and recuperation evidently got here too late for him.

Who may fill in at No 9?

Arteta talked about all three of Trossard, Sterling and Nwaneri as false-nine choices final week. The previous seems to be the favorite for the job having performed 723 Premier League minutes within the place for Arsenal, roughly 1 / 4 of his complete since his arrival two years in the past.

Whether or not he may present the required aim risk is one other query. Havertz’s ending has pissed off at instances however he’s Arsenal’s prime scorer with 9 objectives within the Premier League. His complete of 15 in all competitions had put him on monitor for the highest-scoring season of his profession.

Trossard, against this, has solely discovered the web 5 instances in complete this time period and has solely scored as soon as, within the 2-1 win over Tottenham in January, in his final 18 appearances in all competitions.

Sterling’s kind is even much less convincing.

The Chelsea loanee has proven indicators of enchancment out of possession in latest cameos. His complete of 5 tackles in opposition to Spurs was his second highest in a Premier League recreation.

However he has solely scored as soon as all season, within the Carabao Cup in opposition to Bolton. His insecurity in entrance of aim was summed up by his missed penalty within the Champions League win over Girona.

Then there’s Nwaneri. Shifting a participant of solely 17 into such an unfamiliar function could be an enormous ask from Arteta however the academy product actually seems to be Arsenal’s greatest aim risk proper now.

With seven objectives in solely 700 minutes this season, his common of 0.90 per 90 minutes is the best of all Premier League gamers in all competitions. He additionally ranks prime amongst Arsenal gamers for pictures on course per 90 minutes, in addition to capturing accuracy fee and shot conversion.

Given the hazard he poses when chopping in from the right-hand facet and aiming pictures in the direction of the far nook, as he did efficiently within the latest video games in opposition to Girona and Manchester Metropolis, Arteta might really feel he’s higher off conserving him in his pure place.

Another choice for Arteta could be to go off-piste and repurpose considered one of his midfielders.

May Mikel Merino be price trialling within the place? It might be a tricky job for the Spain worldwide, who continues to be discovering his toes in English soccer, however he does not less than have the bodily qualities and aerial energy to function an outlet in an analogous model to Havertz.

No matter what Arteta does within the No 9 place, he’s going to want to get inventive within the huge positions too. Trossard, Sterling and Nwaneri can’t be anticipated to play each minute. Others, reminiscent of Myles Lewis-Skelly and even Kieran Tierney, may need for use additional ahead.

Arteta has, after all, already promoted the membership’s greatest academy gamers in Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly, however others on the fringes of the primary staff, reminiscent of wingers Nathan Butler-Oyedeji and Ismeal Kabia, may now must be known as on too.

Damage disaster provides to January questions

What is definite is that there isn’t a excellent answer.

Arsenal are already six factors behind Premier League leaders Liverpool, who play their recreation in hand in opposition to Everton on Wednesday evening. They can’t afford any additional slip-ups, whatever the lead to that recreation at Goodison Park.

However the actuality is sights may need to be lowered. Arsenal’s title probabilities had already been closely impacted by the accidents to Jesus, Saka and Martinelli, and whereas the latter two are as a result of return within the weeks and months forward, the addition of Havertz to the long-term absentee listing is the heaviest blow but.

All of it serves to accentuate the scrutiny of Arsenal’s choice to not strengthen in January, having failed in a bid for Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins. The membership’s angle was that it was higher to attend for the summer season, when long-term targets develop into accessible. However it felt like a chance, even earlier than their damage disaster deepened.

It’s one which has backfired.