William Saliba’s absence from Arsenal’s squad for their match against Hull City surprised supporters, particularly after he had returned to the bench for their Champions League fixture in midweek. Many had expected the defender to remain among the substitutes and potentially receive some playing time as he continues his return to full fitness.The Frenchman has spent several months recovering from a back problem that ended his World Cup campaign with the France national team. Although he is now fit again, his return requires careful management after such a lengthy spell away from competitive action.Saliba remains one of Arsenal’s most important players, and his availability will be a major boost for Mikel Arteta. However, he missed the entire pre-season period and did not participate in the club’s preparations for the current campaign. That means he still needs time to regain his sharpness before returning to regular first-team football.Arsenal manage Saliba’s return carefullyDespite being available again, Saliba is unlikely to be thrown straight into the most demanding fixtures. He has featured in at least one behind-closed-doors friendly, but that experience alone will not necessarily have prepared him for the intensity of competitive football.Arsenal supporters had hoped to see him included in the squad against Hull, even if he was not ready to start. A place on the bench could have provided another opportunity for him to build his involvement, potentially allowing Arteta to introduce him during the second half.However, the manager has decided that a different approach will benefit the defender more at this stage. Rather than include him in the senior squad, Arsenal want him to gain valuable minutes with the Under 21s.William Saliba (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)Arteta explains why Saliba missed outArteta confirmed that Saliba will feature for the Under 21s this weekend as part of his recovery programme. Speaking via the Metro, the Arsenal manager said:‘He needs some minutes.‘Obviously, the Champions League allows you to bring more players into the bench, but we believe that it’s the best thing to do, to play some minutes on the weekend with the Under-21s and then be fully fit for the international break.’The decision reflects Arsenal’s desire to bring Saliba back gradually rather than risk rushing him into action. An appearance at Under-21 level should give him the opportunity to improve his match fitness and regain confidence._____________________________________________________________________________________________ADMIN COMMENTSo here are some simple rules which I must insist commenters follow….You agree not to give any personal abuse to other Arsenal fans. Everyone is allowed to hold their own opinions even if you disagree with them. It COSTS NOTHING TO BE POLITE TO OTHER ARSENAL FANS.CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us through this link…The post Why Saliba missed Arsenal’s squad for the game against Hull City appeared first on Just Arsenal News.