Arsenal have enjoyed their best ever start to a Premier League campaign.

The Gunners – after eleven games – sit top of the league and have dared us Gooners to dream after years of underwhelming campaigns. 

We have defied critics with wins when we were the underdog. We have defeated teams who would have taken maximum points from us just last season. 

And most importantly, we have redefined our support and united what was once fractured. The atmosphere, the noise, the passion is back.

The Emirates, perhaps for the first time, feels like a home.

But in the shadow of an unprecedented World Cup, a crammed fixture calendar and the foreboding potential of a withering squad due to the rigours of playing every three days for months on end, the question remains – 

Can Arsenal battle on 2-3 fronts at full strength?

There have been moments this season, where we have already seen our players flagging as they attempt to maintain their exertions across the pitch. The draw with Southampton especially, saw our boys falter in the second half, which was the gateway to the Saints comeback.

If Mikel Arteta was to strengthen the squad, where would he concentrate on?

And if he did add to his numbers, how does he juggle things when everyone is fit? Will noses be put out of joint as playing time inevitably shrinks for some?

Defence

With the ‘new signing’ of William Saliba to slot in alongside Gabriel, Arsenal have enjoyed a partnership as strong as any since the days of Campbell and Toure.

We have depth too. Cedric, White and Tomiyasu vie for the right hand side of defence, with Tierney, Zinchencko and Tomiyasu again all candidates to play on the left. 

With Holding, Ben White, Gabriel and Saliba four strong options for the centre of defence, it appears as though Arteta would fare better if he concentrated on other, less replete areas of the pitch…

Midfield

The reliance on Thomas Partey continues to give Gooners the jitters. The win percentage with the Ghanaian in the side is far better than when he isn’t included.

And with his poor injury record – that happens with alarming frequency.

But how do you find a midfielder with defensive diligence, who can gallop through the pitch and has excellent physical strength – but is happy to play second fiddle?

And if you pick a player to actually play as first choice – how much will that cost?

With Granit Xhaka finding his groove as the other part of this pivot, the quest to offset Partey’s absences will – or should be – the priority for Arteta.

Attack

We’re blessed with raw speed, unpredictability and pure skill in our attack.

Saka and Martinelli have shown they are indispensable to our side as they create space and opportunity with their high-jinks and cutting in.

Martin Odegaard has continued being instrumental to our final third movements, even if his assists haven’t been sparkling. But his chance creation is still among the best in the league, so we don’t need to fret. And with Xhaka weighing in, Odegaard is enjoying extra freedom.

The need for an extra wideman could help change those games that are gridlocked – but with Marquinhos and Nelson in the squad, we do have other options. A transfer in would ruin their chances – especially for the young Brazilian, who has looked effervescent in his rare forays up top.

But in the striking department, we are a little light.

Jesus has been a revelation in the number 9 spot – but hasn’t quite got the amount of goals he would have expected. But he is simply undroppable, given his interventions in and around the box.

We have Eddie Nketiah as an able deputy and he can’t do much more than what he is doing. He’s scoring with nearly every game he plays and is doing what is asked of him.

But we are one injury away from derailing.

Should Partey, Jesus, Saka or Martinelli get crocked, we currently don’t have the resources to sufficiently put a salve on the wound. 

True, Zinchenko and Smith-Rowe’s injuries have hampered us. ESR could – and most likely would have – added in with goals and assists if he were fit. And Zinchenko has been fantastic when he has played. His versatility could be invaluable.

As January approaches – will the World Cup and the frenetic match calendar force Arteta and Edu’s hands in the market?

Who would you bring in to strengthen?