Arsenal's difficult start to the season has been compounded in recent weeks, having failed to win any of their last four fixtures in the Premier League and Champions League.
This slump has seen the Gunners drop nine points back from Premier League leaders Liverpool after just 11 games and five off the top of the newly formatted Champions League group phase.
This slump can, however, be largely attributed to a swell of issues leading to players becoming unavailable, managing an injury crisis and a freakishly high number of suspensions in the early stages of the campaign.
Arsenal injury crisis continues as star undergoes surgery
A major injury to Martin Odegaard has spearheaded a tidal wave of issues plaguing the club so far this season, with new signings Riccardo Calafiori and Mikel Merino just a few names on the ever-growing list of injuries.
Odegaard joined Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka in withdrawing from international duty for the upcoming break, the latter duo picking up issues in the 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
To add insult to injury, defender Ben White is the latest big name to join the injury list after the club confirmed he had undergone surgery to resolve an ongoing joint issue.
White returned to the starting line-up against both Chelsea and Inter in recent weeks, having failed to make the XI for a number of games beforehand, manager Mikel Arteta claimed that the club had to "protect him" before the 1-0 defeat to Newcastle.
The Press Association claims that the 27-year-old will be out for around eight weeks following the procedure, although the club are hopeful of the defender having some sort of impact on the festive period.
White, who ranked at no.8 in FourFourTwo's list of the best right-backs in the world right now, has been a revelation down the right at the Emirates since his £50 million move from Brighton in 2021, providing a solid and consistent base for Arteta to construct his remarkable defence in recent years.
Elsewhere in the backline Riccardo Calafiori, Jurrien Timber and Takehiro Tomiyasu remain injury doubts moving forward ahead of the most chaotic period of the season.
Arteta has managed to find something of a silver lining amidst such a crisis, allowing crucial minutes for exciting youngsters Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly in recent months.
