"Just pray that everybody is going to be fine because the last one was a really difficult one to handle." Referring to the loss of Martin Odegaard for at least six weeks, it's understandable why a manager with an already small squad holds the international calendar in contempt.
Given that Riccardo Calafiori had already been away with Italy and returned in the same break, it was a fortnight to forget for Arsenal. Along with a training injury for Mikel Merino and Declan Rice's suspension, it left Arteta with a makeshift midfield ahead of the North London Derby.
In the end, Arsenal got through it. In fact, they have really passed with flying colours. Almost two months into the season and they are still unbeaten, only drawing to Brighton, Manchester City, and then Atalanta in the Champions League. The table looks healthy, and some of the more challenging away days have been and gone.
It is a credit to Arteta, his staff, and the club as a whole that Arsenal have been as successful so far despite the noise. Injuries continue to pose new obstacles but it hasn't impacted results yet.
After the win over Southampton on Saturday there are still six fitness worries to contend with. Odegaard is still out and won't be away with Norway as he recovers from ankle ligament damage. An initial timeline had him looking towards a return shortly after the October break, which is now upon us.
“At the moment it’s progressing well and it looks better than we were thinking," he wrote in the matchday programme notes before Southampton. "But we’ve still got to take every day as it comes.” That has maybe been tempered due to his national team coach, Stale Solbakken, claiming the midfielder remains "a long way from playing matches."
Then there is Thomas Partey. He is another to have pulled out of international duty. Not for the first time, Partey won't be playing for Ghana due to a fitness problem. Oleksandr Zinchenko, Ben White, Jurrien Timber, and Takehiro Tomiyasu will also be aiming to use the coming period to get themselves up to full fitness.
What this means for Arteta is that unlike usual, he is actually set to benefit from the international break. Merino will have time to keep up the work having finally made his debut, and the number of players away from Arteta is significantly less than on most occasions.
Because that is due to niggles and worries that is not a total positive but there isn't too much to be fearful of right now for Arsenal. This break will instead offer a chance to rest and gain sharpness after an intense set of fixtures.
Arteta's views nevertheless remain the same. "It has been like this for years, we’re not going to change that," he said of the breaks. "It is part of the duties they have so we have to adapt to that and hopefully be healthy."
As for if players should pull out more often: "First of all the player has to be healthy to go to their national team but when I speak to them they want to be part of it. That is normal. It is a huge privilege to represent your country and to be involved. They all have their role and don’t want to lose it so you have to understand that as well."
The next step for Arsenal is to touch wood and get through without further setbacks. That is out of Arteta's control
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