Mikel Arteta has challenged Declan Rice to improve his long throws to match the standard of Michael Kayode after describing the Brentford defender’s as the best in the Premier League. Kayode has the longest average throw-in distance, 33.2m, in the division by more than five metres and has helped his side to score three times this season.
Arsenal, who host Brentford on Wednesday, have yet to register a goal from a throw-in, but lead the way for set-piece goals, joint with Manchester United, on 10. Rice has played a huge role in that with his pinpoint deliveries from corners and free-kicks and is the designated thrower in attacking positions. But Arteta acknowledged the midfielder has some way to go to match Kayode with ball in hands.
“A massive weapon,” Arsenal’s manager said of Kayode’s throw-in. “We all know that. It is a very chaotic situation – it is very difficult to predict what is going to happen.”
When it was suggested Rice is not as good as Kayode, Arteta said: “Who is? Everything has to evolve. I don’t know how good [Kayode] was a year ago, or two years ago or three years ago. I know how good Declan was at taking set pieces three or four years ago and I know how good he is now.
“It does not happen overnight. Things have to be trained, evolved and tweaked. And the player has to believe as well, which is key. When you look at Declan, he can do almost everything you require him to do.”
Arteta is confident Arsenal’s squad can continue to cope with injury setbacks after confirming Kai Havertz will not return for a few weeks. The Germany striker has been absent since August after knee surgery and had been expected back at the start of this month. But Arteta said Havertz had been unable “to go to the next level” when he stepped up his rehabilitation and faced a longer spell on the sidelines.
That means the Arsenal manager must decide whether to stick with Mikel Merino as a makeshift striker after his goal against Chelsea on Sunday or recall Viktor Gyökeres after the Swede returned from a muscle injury as a substitute at Stamford Bridge. Gabriel Jesus is also in contention after 11 months out.
There are also doubts over whether William Saliba and Leandro Trossard will be fit after they missed the Chelsea game. The summer signings Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapié are likely to start in central defence again for the league leaders. Arteta believes the £250m spent on reinforcements in the most recent window has left Arsenal in a much stronger position to deal with the absences.
“This season has been worse in some areas, especially in the front line, and now what’s happening with the backline. We were able to put together a squad that is much more reliable and has more options.
“We learned that we have to use players in different positions and they have to be able to fulfil different roles if we want to compete at this level. The example of Mikel is the best one, probably.”
The Germany manager, Julian Nagelsmann, said last month that Havertz had experienced a setback. Arteta said: “He was doing everything. He could not go to the next level and now it’s looking like we have unlocked that. We’re all desperate to have him. It’s a player I love so much for what he brings to the team, but his character, his personality, I see him suffer being outside.
“His playing record is phenomenal, he’s been always available and I can’t wait to have him back around the team playing because it’s going to be a massive boost.”
