When the news filtered through during the last international break that Martin Odegaard had been injured, I think most Arsenal supporters felt a certain degree of panic.

We weren’t just losing our captain; we were losing the guy who invariably makes this Arsenal side tick.

Fast-forward to the eve of the Southampton game, and our unbeaten start to the season has proven once more that this side are capable of raising the bar even higher than they did last season.

It will no doubt be a tough task to overhaul Manchester City, but as each week passes by, Arsenal continue to demonstrate different ways of achieving positive results.

The most recent incarnation of Arsenal has offered fascinating viewing.

The absence of Odegaard was always likely to be offset in some capacity by Kai Havertz, with the logical option being to drop the German into a deeper role.

However, such is the presence and aura that he offers as the focal point, it was clear that this was not an option that Mikel Arteta wanted to explore in isolation. Instead, he has encouraged Havertz to excel in two areas, both as an attacking midfielder and as a striker.

When he arrived at the club, we were told that he didn’t fit a specific profile. Today, that profile has continued to prove its worth and over the last month, it should now be plainly obvious why Arteta rates him so highly.

He holds the ball up, but he can run in behind. He offers a central target, but he often drifts out wide. Sometimes he’ll drop deep to impose his physicality in the midfield, while maintaining a secureness in possession that is so valuable in tight spaces. It works so well because of the clever system that he is being implemented in. He is the definition of a hybrid centre forward.

His role doesn’t quite answer the question of Odegaard’s absence though; Havertz would have of course played these games anyway.

The physical replacement has been Leandro Trossard, but again, his role isn’t simple. He’s a busy and tireless worker, but he has developed a partnership with Havertz that has ensured that results have continued to be picked up.

Trossard is clever. He picks up the spaces that Havertz leaves and offers a goal threat in almost every game he plays. He is someone who you can trust to perform the required objective for the team, while maintaining his individual desire to make the difference in the final third.

Between the two of them, they have ensured that there is no need to rush Odegaard’s return.

There is no doubt that Odegaard re-enters the team when he is fit, but what will this look like?

Will Rice drop deeper to allow the introduction of Mikel Merino as well as Odegaard? Will Trossard go back to his super-sub role?

We could be about to see another example of Arteta’s ingenuity.