Mikel Arteta has made it clear that Arsenal cannot afford to slow down or feel comfortable, even after their statement win over Tottenham. The manager’s focus is already on bodies, depth and the brutal schedule ahead.
Speaking after the derby, Arteta admitted he “needs players back immediately” and stressed that the squad is still missing “a lot of important players”. On a day when the result went Arsenal’s way, he was already looking at what comes next and who he can count on.
There was encouragement, too. Noni Madueke made his return to the pitch, and Piero Hincapie stepped in for “big Gabi” and delivered exactly the sort of performance Arteta wanted to see. For a coach obsessed with standards, that blend of need and response is everything.
Mikel Arteta on Piero Hincapie after big Gabi blow
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Arteta did not hide how significant losing “big Gabi” was. The defender’s absence was described as “a massive blow”, the kind of setback that could easily unsettle a back line in a high-pressure fixture.
Instead, Piero Hincapie came straight into the side and made the job look simple. “The good news is we lost big Gabi, which was a massive blow, and Piero comes in, and I think he was fantastic from the beginning,” Arteta said.
The choice of words matters. “Fantastic from the beginning” is not just a pat on the back. It is a statement that Hincapie did not need time to grow into the occasion. He was ready from the first whistle, slotted into the structure and kept the level where Arteta demands it.
In a season where injuries can hit at any moment, having a defender who can walk into the team and maintain that standard is priceless. Hincapie’s response to the Gabi blow did more than plug a gap. It strengthened Arteta’s belief that this squad can absorb setbacks and still perform.
Noni Madueke Arsenal injury return a timely boost
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At the other end of the pitch, there was another key positive. “Today, we got Noni back on the pitch, which is great,” Arteta said. It was a simple line, but it carried weight. He knows how much he needs every attacking option available.
Madueke’s return is not just about extra numbers on the teamsheet. It gives Arsenal another profile of forward who can stretch defences, attack space and change the rhythm of games. After a spell on the sidelines, simply seeing him back involved is a boost for the manager and the dressing room.
Arteta linked that note of optimism straight back to the wider problem. “We are still missing a lot of important players, and we are going to need all of them.” The message is clear: getting Madueke back is a step in the right direction, but it is only the start of what Arsenal need to stay at full power.
Arsenal squad depth and injuries update in focus
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Arteta’s wider point is about more than one defender and one forward. He knows the campaign will be defined by how well Arsenal manage a long injury list while still fighting on multiple fronts. That is why he keeps returning to the idea that “we are going to need all of them”.
When he talks about missing “a lot of important players”, he is pointing to the reality of top-level football right now. Games come thick and fast. International duty cuts into recovery time. One or two absences can quickly turn into a full-blown depth problem if replacements are not ready.
That is where Hincapie’s display and Madueke’s comeback fit into the bigger picture. They show that even when first-choice pieces drop out, there are players who can step in, keep the level and allow Arsenal to keep playing with the same intensity and aggression.
Why Arteta’s trust in Hincapie and Madueke matters now
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Arteta has been consistent in how he talks about his squad. He wants players who are not just talented, but driven, hungry and ready to seize their moment. His praise for Hincapie and his delight at Madueke’s return sit alongside his recent comments about Eberechi Eze’s work ethic and aura inside the team.
“When a player has such a talent & his desire is at that level, then these things happen,” he said of Eze’s derby hat-trick. The same principle applies here. Hincapie stepping up after the Gabi injury and Madueke pushing to get back involved are exactly the behaviours he wants to see.
Arteta called Eze’s presence “a joy” and “an aura that this team needed” and spoke about how at any moment he can win a game. The more players he can trust in that way defenders who are “fantastic from the beginning”, forwards who return ready to impact games, the stronger Arsenal’s position becomes.
That is why his message after the Tottenham win was so blunt. There is no time to relax. Arsenal “need players back immediately”, and they need them ready to perform. With Hincapie proving he can cover a massive defensive blow and Madueke back on the grass, the squad is moving in the right direction. But in Arteta’s mind, this is only the start of the push for the depth, fitness and mentality required to keep their season on track.
Related Items:Latest Mikel Arteta News | Transfer News | Injury News and Update, Noni Madueke, Piero Hincapie, Tottenham Hotspur
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