Mikel Arteta has vowed his Arsenal defence is about to get even stronger as he begins to integrate Piero Hincapie into his starting XI.
The Ecuador international has endured a frustrating start to his Gunners career following his move from Bayer Leverkusen during the closing stages of the summer transfer window.
A groin injury, allied to the form of Riccardo Calafiori and his understudy Myles Lewis-Skelly, has meant Hincapie has been limited to just two brief substitute appearances so far.
The return of the Carabao Cup this evening offers Arteta an opportunity to rotate his squad and hand an opportunity to a player who he believes will ‘raise the level’.
‘He’s a warrior; he’s going to bring such intensity, physicality, and emotion to the team as well,’ said Arteta ahead of tonight’s game against Brighton.
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‘He’s quality on the ball; he’s a player who is super keen. He can play inside, he can play in wide positions, he’s done it, as you said, in different ways, and now we need to get him up to speed because the moment that physically he’s at his best, he’s going to raise the level.’
Hincapie is not the only new recruit who has been forced to watch on from the sidelines over the opening weeks of the campaign.
Goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, who joined from Chelsea, has seen compatriot David Raya produce a series of near faultless displays that have yielded a string of clean sheets.
Despite being forced to play second fiddle, Arteta has praised the Spain international for displaying an exemplary attitude.
‘I never do that, but I don’t do that with any player,’ said Arteta when asked if he told Arrizabalaga he would be No.2 upon joining his new club.
‘I think in the end, they have to earn it. David [Raya] has been incredibly good for us in the last few years and Kepa knew that when he came in, but he’s ready to compete.
‘If I have to highlight behaviours in that dressing room and culture, probably I would mention him as number one.
‘Because again, he’s come into a different environment after winning everything in football, almost, being in the national team, Chelsea, Real Madrid, big, big clubs and he comes here and every single day he’s behaving like tomorrow’s training session is the most important one in his life.
‘He will have his chances to play, he’s in a really good place, and if he plays tomorrow, I’m sure he will be really, really good.’
On if Arrizabalaga’s presence had played a part in Raya’s own spectacular form, Arteta added: ‘That connection, I think, and the environment that you create between the goalkeepers and the coaches is unique.
‘They are unique, to be a goalkeeper you have to be unique, to be in that environment, you have to be unique.
‘They are a lot of times, by themselves, they have to do a lot of individual practices and I think Kepa has raised the level, he has created a true great environment for everybody to shine and I think that’s down to him.’
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