Mikel Arteta Rethinks Arsenal’s Squad Depth Amid Injury Crisis
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta appears less confident in his squad’s depth following key injuries that have left the team stretched thin. Just five months ago, Arteta expressed optimism about Arsenal’s ability to compete with the Premier League’s top teams, even after a summer marked by notable departures.
Last season, the Gunners netted a record-breaking 91 Premier League goals, thriving without a traditional striker and spreading the scoring burden across the squad. Despite losing players like Eddie Nketiah, Reiss Nelson, Emile Smith Rowe, and Fabio Vieira over the summer, Arteta maintained his belief in the team’s offensive capabilities, buoyed by the arrival of Chelsea loanee Raheem Sterling.
“One of our biggest strengths over the past few years has been sharing the goals,” Arteta said in August. “If we can add players who score 25 or 30 goals a season, it’s the perfect combination.”
However, the Spaniard’s confidence has waned following Bukayo Saka’s and Gabriel Jesus’ absences, which were keenly felt during a 2-2 draw with Aston Villa. Despite goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz, Arsenal squandered a two-goal lead, leaving Arteta to admit the team is “very, very short” in depth.
Arsenal’s recent form has dipped, with just one win in their last five matches. They now sit six points behind league leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand. The situation worsened with news that Gabriel Jesus will miss the rest of the season due to an ACL tear, while Saka is sidelined until late March after hamstring surgery.
Although young talents like Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly have stepped up, they haven’t been enough to halt the slide. This could prompt Arteta to act in the transfer market, especially as the team struggles with fatigue and injuries after a relatively quiet summer window.
Last season’s success was aided by good fortune with injuries, but this term has been far less forgiving, forcing Arsenal to reassess their squad depth in the midst of a challenging campaign.
