Mikel Arteta took a huge gamble on Kai Havertz - and it has backfired in spectacular fashion. Arteta is paying a heavy price for not signing a new striker in January as Arsenal are now without FOUR main forwards which could leave their title chances in tatters. Havertz has joined a growing injury list which already includes Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli to leave Arsenal fans wondering who on earth will start up front against Leicester on Saturday.
Arsenal were interested in signing Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins in January and also tried to bring forward their summer push to sign RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko but did not get either over the line. Instead, Arsenal stuck to their position that they did not want to ruin their summer plans by doing a panic deal now. But just ten days after the window closed, putting all their faith in just one striker looks like a massive mistake.
That argument is all well and good but it now feels Arsenal are putting everything on hold until this summer’s rebuild. But that is unfair on the fanbase who expect more. Arteta had put all his eggs in the Havertz basket to carry Arsenal’s title challenge because he was a “powerhouse” who could handle the pressure and expectation of being the club’s only fit striker for the rest of the season.
Rather than wrap him up in cotton wool, Havertz suffered a significant hamstring injury which means he could need surgery and miss the rest of the campaign. Worse still, Havertz suffered the injury while on what was supposed to be a mid-season break in Dubai to allow the squad to recharge their batteries while doing some training. How on earth Arsenal allowed Havertz to get injured knowing he was their only fit striker is a staggering piece of mismanagement. It would be more understandable if it was an impact injury. But a muscle injury is unforgivable.
The pattern is just too much to be a coincidence. Saka had two hamstring injuries before he suffered the major injury at Crystal Palace which resulted in himself suffering a major tear and requiring surgery. He has been overplayed. He hopes to be back next month. Jesus suffered an ACL knee injury but his whole Arsenal career has been plagued by injuries. Martinelli suffered a hamstring injury in Arsenal’s Ca rabao Cup semi final defeat at Newcastle last week.
Who is to blame for Arsenal's injury crisis? Share your thoughts in the comments below. Again, Martinelli had played a lot of minutes, the squad is too small and Arteta kept on going back to the well, relying on the same players and now he is out for around a month. Arteta is renowned for his intense training sessions and the players enjoy his methods. But there is an art to squad management, ensuring you can rest and rotate and also not put too much burden on the players.
Former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger used to get cross examined over his injury record and using players while in the red zone. Now it seems that Arteta does not have to field the same criticism or questions and yet his players are dropping like flies. Arsenal do have ambitious plans for the summer. Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi, Sesko and a left winger - Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams - are all on their list. Plus a new No2 keeper and perhaps a new defender.
But just kicking the can down the road and waiting for next season if not good enough when Arteta really needs a trophy now. They are still in the Champions League, are the closest challengers to Liverpool and almost admitting defeat is not acceptable. Join our new WhatsApp communityand receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
