Gyokeres dilemma, Eze U-turn, Arsenal injury woes - 5 things Mikel Arteta still needs to fix

Arsenal are exactly where they want to be: right at the top of the Premier League. The Gunners’ 2-0 win against West Ham on Saturday saw them seize top spot from Liverpool, who fell to a late defeat against Chelsea.

It goes without saying that Mikel Arteta will be desperate for the North London side to remain there as he attempts to end the club’s two-decade wait for the title. And while Arsenal have shown plenty of promise so far, there are still a few elements that need improving.

The international break presents Arteta with the perfect chance to get both in his office - and on the training ground - in an effort to plug some of those gaps. But what will Arteta be mulling over across the next fortnight? football.london investigates…

Get Gyokeres firing

The signing of Viktor Gyokeres was meant to be the one to fire Arsenal over the finish line. And we mean that quite literally given the 54 goals that he scored for Sporting Lisbon.

He hasn’t quite managed to hit the same heights this season with just three goals to his name in ten appearances. Gyokeres has gone six games without a goal.

Despite that, Arteta has been full of praise for the work he has put in off the ball and is convinced that the goals will start flowing eventually. Should the Arsenal boss manage to find a way to get him to find the net regularly, the Gunners are going to be a formidable opponent for any side.

Consider Eze U-turn

With one of his summer signings still yet to find his best form, one still has to really find a place in the side. Eberechi Eze was signed to great acclaim this summer - particularly given the Gunners beat North London rivals Tottenham to his signature.

Despite his big price tag, Eze still does not yet have a defined role in the team. He has been played out wide and in the middle since his arrival.

Eze’s best work with former club Crystal Palace came as a number ten, and that could be the route forwards as he attempts to really start shining in North London.

Solve midfield issue

In a similar story, Arteta has a tricky decision to make when it comes to midfield. Declan Rice is one of the first names on the teamsheet, while Martin Zubimendi has enjoyed a positive start to life at the Emirates Stadium.

The Spanish midfielder already has two goals to his name. And while those two would naturally be the obvious candidates, that leaves Martin Odegaard, Eze and Mikel Merino all fighting for the remaining position.

The Norwegian’s current injury issues might ease that headache somewhat but some clarity on his first-choice midfield three would be very useful.

Fix injury woes

Speaking of injuries, they have really blighted Arsenal across the opening weeks of the season despite their hot start. Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz are currently out with long-term issues, while Noni Madueke and Piero Hincapie are not expected to take to the pitch until after the international break.

Meanwhile, Odegaard and Rice both departed Saturday’s clash with West Ham early. Injuries have proven terminal for Arsenal’s title ambitions over recent years so it goes without saying that a solution to the problem would be very useful.

Keep Lewis-Skelly involved

One man who has found his opportunities limited so far this season is Arsenal academy graduate Myles Lewis-Skelly. The defender has not started a single game in the Premier League as of yet.

Of course, he’s only young and teammate Riccardo Calafiori has made the position his own. There’s no real need to panic at all - Lewis-Skelly’s chance will come - but the last thing that Arsenal will want to do is to halt his development and progress.

So Arteta needs to find a way to get him ample opportunities to play to ensure he can keep his promising rise up.

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