《Daily Mail》: Arteta hopes Arsenal's squad depth can help them take the final step in the Champions League.

The Hilton Budapest was ready, and the multipurpose room booked by Arsenal's staff and players after last season's Champions League final had been prepared.

But what should have been a celebration of the club's first European title in their 140-year history turned into little more than drinks filled with reflection and disappointment. The team then flew back to London early to participate in their Premier League title parade.

Arteta's disappointment was evident in the post-match press conference after losing to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties. With the Premier League title that had been within reach also slipping away, there was an almost angry tone to his voice.

"That hurts, that's what happens. When you're so close to winning a match, just a few penalties away from winning the most important club competition, that's the pain you feel," he said.

After a long and difficult wait for an English title, conquering Europe has become Arteta's primary objective. The Spaniard has never won a European competition, either as a player or as a manager. He often refers to the Champions League as the measure of legendary status.

Arsenal came agonisingly close to taking that final step. After all, they were just a few penalties away from glory in May, and this summer they continued to strengthen by signing players like Bruno Guimarães, Tsolis, and Konsa. But how exactly can they overcome this final hurdle?

1. Trust in squad depth

Arsenal's squad depth allows Arteta to make rotations without weakening the starting lineup.

Ben White has proven that even with Timber back from injury, he has every reason to continue playing at right-back. White's almost telepathic understanding with Saka and Ødegaard has created a right flank trio that is extremely difficult for opponents to overcome.

In midfield, Skelly has performed excellently while filling in for the injured Bruno Guimarães. The Brazilian, who joined this summer for £75 million, is expected to go straight into the starting XI against Napoli on Wednesday, but if his recent form dips, Skelly will be right there behind him. This is an ideal situation for Arteta, but he still needs to truly take advantage of it.

Last season, he may have given Rice too much playing time, especially when Rice was clearly fatigued. The English midfielder then played a crucial role at the World Cup, making 55 appearances across all competitions, starting 49 times, and playing a total of 4,454 minutes—accounting for 91% of Arsenal's total playing time when he was available. No other non-goalkeeper in the squad played more than him. Rice himself admitted during the World Cup that he had been playing with nerve pain in his hamstring since December.

Four non-goalkeepers at Arsenal played more than 4,200 minutes: Rice, Partey (4,298 minutes), Saliba (4,254 minutes), and Gabriel (4,210 minutes). If Arsenal want to reach another final, or even bring home that elusive trophy, this excessive workload needs to be distributed more fairly.

Rice's backup, Neves, hasn't been trusted enough to allow the Spanish player to rest, but now Skelly or Guimarães can take on that role. When Saliba and Mosquera are injured, Konsa can step in; if Gabriel needs rotation, Hincapié can fill in seamlessly.

Arteta hinted at this after losing to Paris Saint-Germain in Budapest, saying: "You have to have the whole team in top condition, able to compete in this competition. We have more players now than last season, many who can be used, but for different reasons, not everyone is in that condition. That's where we need to improve." At least he recognizes it. Now, he needs to trust the players on the bench to help him go far.

2. Continue strengthening in January

With Havertz fully recovered, Gyökeres has dropped down the striker pecking order.

This was the plan for last season, but Havertz was injured in the opening match of this season at Old Trafford, and as a result, Gyökeres became The Gunners' main striker for the first half of last season. The Swedish striker scored 21 goals across all competitions after joining last year for £56 million.

However, in the first three league matches of this season, Gyökeres has made only one appearance as a substitute. Against Chelsea on Sunday, he played just 12 minutes and looked a bit rusty.

But after Havertz and Gyökeres, Arteta's options quickly thin out. Merino may once again be pushed forward to fill the gap, although this is far from ideal. Arsenal's previous pursuits of Vinicius, Julián Álvarez, or Lautaro Martínez were unsuccessful, leaving them with limited options in attack.

This also raises the question: can Arsenal sign a player like Kroupi from Bournemouth in the January transfer window? Arteta admires him, and he has a special place in fans' hearts for scoring the goal that secured the title in May. He could also provide the cutting edge Arsenal needs to conquer Europe.

3. Awaiting Timber's return

Timber's importance cannot be overstated. In the defeat in Budapest, the Dutch defender was only partially fit, and he only came on to replace Mosquera, who was playing out of position after Mosquera's reckless foul on Kvaratskhelia resulted in a penalty.

Timber is solid in defense, rarely beaten by opponents, and active in pushing forward into the final third. When in top form, he may be the best right-back in the league, which is why he made the PFA Team of the Year last season.

The 25-year-old took part in training on Tuesday morning and was included in the squad for Wednesday's match against Napoli.

Timber's return has been a long and difficult process. He has been troubled by a groin injury since March, which ruled him out of the Netherlands' World Cup squad. He only returned to light training when Arsenal began pre-season preparations in July.

If Arsenal can keep Timber fully fit for the second half of this competition, it will be a huge bonus.

Diterjemahkan oleh AI.

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