The first international break of the Premier League season has arrived, giving Mikel Arteta and the Arsenal players not on international duty extra training time ahead of their next league clash against Nottingham Forest.
Arsenal will be eager to respond after their 1-0 defeat to Liverpool before the break, where Dominik Szoboszlai’s free-kick proved decisive. Despite the quiet period with no transfers or matches, Arteta and his staff remain busy behind the scenes. Here are three key areas of focus as Arsenal look to regroup.
William Saliba Decision
Arsenal suffered an early setback in the Liverpool game when William Saliba was forced off after just five minutes. Arteta later explained that the centre-back picked up the problem during the warm-up but attempted to carry on.
The exact severity of the injury is still unclear, but it has already ruled Saliba out of France’s international fixtures. Staying back in London means he will work with Arsenal’s medical team in a bid to recover quickly. Whether he will be fit in time for the Nottingham Forest clash remains uncertain.
Arteta now faces a key decision: risk Saliba’s fitness or turn to summer signing Cristhian Mosquera, who impressed in his debut. The manager hinted he has full trust in the young defender if needed.
Piero Hincapie’s Integration
Arsenal also strengthened their backline on deadline day by securing Piero Hincapie on loan. However, his integration will take longer than expected due to international commitments with Ecuador.
Hincapie is currently away for World Cup qualifiers against Paraguay and Argentina, meaning he won’t return until late Wednesday or early Thursday before Arsenal’s Saturday lunchtime kick-off. Factoring in recovery, his first training session may not come until Friday, leaving Arteta with little choice but to leave him out of the Forest game.
After that, the fixtures come thick and fast, with Champions League and Carabao Cup matches in midweek, which will further delay Hincapie’s opportunity to train fully with the squad. A more realistic timeline for his debut could be October, when Arsenal finally enjoy a longer break between games.
