Everyone will be eager to see what Kai Havertz offers in the PL next season. Arsenal’s splash of £65 million is a move that has left many with questions about his signing. Some didn’t understand why Arteta spent that much on a player who had failed to find consistency in the Premier League with Chelsea. But Gooners should take solace in the fact that the Arsenal boss has an eye for talent and knows what he’s getting from the German.
German journalist and ex-Kiverpool stalwart Dietmar Hamman tells Lord Ping that PL fans will see the best of Havertz next season, but interestingly, he advocates for him to be played in the forward line as one of the front 2. Hamman also adds that the 24-year-old could be the player to get the best out of Gabriel Jesus (another Gunner with much to prove next season), as he expects the two to form a deadly partnership in attack.
“I think Kai Havertz’s best position is up front, just off the main striker,” Hamann said.
“I think he’ll play with Gabriel Jesus up top. Arsenal are a team that likes to pass the ball a lot more than Chelsea, and I think that will suit Havertz.
“We will see the real Havertz that we saw at Bayer Leverkusen when he was 17 and scoring important goals. I remember when he was still in school and Havertz scored a goal that stopped Bayer Leverkusen from being relegated. Havertz is the player to watch out for; he’ll be a different player this season coming.
“Havertz would play better with an out-and-out number nine, someone like Romelu Lukaku, Harry Kane, or Robert Lewandowski, as they keep defenders occupied, which gives Havertz the space he needs.
“Gabriel Jesus drifts wide, but we’ve seen how brilliant of a player he can be, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see them link up well together.”
The hope is that at Arsenal, with Kai Havertz reverting to playing at midfield like he did at Bayer Leverkusen, he could return to his world-class status. In his finest season (the 2018-19 season) at Leverkusen, he managed 17 goals in 34 games.
Daniel O
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Nice article. I see Havertz reaching similar levels to RvP at Arsenal. He is technically gifted and gets into some fantastic positions. If his finishing improves he will get 15-20 goals a season.
So with Rice in midfield and your suggestion of Jesus and Havertz together…..who fills the remaining spots in midfield and atrack and in what position?
PJ-SA, I agree with Hamman in utilizing Havertz up front playing off Jesus.
Why not play a 4-4-2, with a midfield of Martinelli, Rice, Partey and Saka? Not necessarily every game, but need flexibility rather than a rigid 4-3-3.
Arsenal was brought down back to earth by Man United, this was just not any friendly, bragging rights in the big apple at stake.
A keep saying Havertz in a deep laying midfield role is a disaster waiting to happen, the midfield was slice like knife through butter.
That’s the midfield general job, the world’s class Thomas Partey
Havertz though didn’t play well he still showed good glimpse of a good B2B midfielder if you look at the goals we consided it was both mistakes by Ramsdale and Gabriel not mentioning the missed chances by arsenal players.The scoreline could have been 0_0 or one nill in fevour of arsenal but that didn’t happen, I was among those who wanted a real midfielder to replace Xhaka but Arteta chose to bring Havertz so we will see how he performs.
Naftali
Am in agreement with you it was a poor goal conceded by the goalie.
But the writing was on the wall with our passive midfielders playing out of position against quality opposition.
The initial formation was right but it turns into a 4 : 3 3, with Havertz, Odegaard and Rice in a deep laying three, of that three only Rice has that physicality to stem the tide when United bare down on us.
That position calls for strong, physical and mobile players
Gunsmoke, with you on “physicality” in midfield. You only have to note the improvement in Arsenal’s midfield when Thomas Partey came on in the second half against Manchester United.
Maybe, if Havertz does the hold-up play and let Jesus cut inside from the left wing
In our pre-season games, Havertz played in Xhaka’s position. It could work too, if Jesus can stop the CBs as Watkins did
There is just no place for Kai in our team
He wasn’t really needed except for a back-up
On the Left he’s not better than Martinelli
Behind the Striker he’s not better than Odergaard
In Xhaka’s role Rice will be better, Trosaard was great there against Nurn erg, Smith-Rowe was fantastic there when he came on against Man UTD
Unless as a sub, Kai has no place in our starting 11
To me, it only makes sense if we’re about to let Fabio Viera go
Cos that one is just not on the level that Arsenal now needs.
Thank you… My thoughts exactly… Kai has no place in the first 11..not at the expense of ESR and Leandro..
Babasola, spot on with Vieira. The best role I see for Havertz is playing off Jesus in a 4-4-2.
The main issue is that for around £65 million, Arsenal could have got Vlahovic (£70 million) or a cheeky bid for Ivan Tony from Brentford with change left over.
Havertz is a good player but ki d of lightweight, Rice or Partey can’t shoulder the weight of Odegaard and Havertz, if Havertz is to play CM, then Kiwior needs to play as an inverted LB, strong,fast and technical, we can’t have Zinchenko and Havertz, that’s a disaster.
I think we’ll do better with this:
Jesus/Balogun
Martineli-Havertz-Odegaard-Saka
Partey
Kiwior-Gabriel-Saliba-White/Timber
Ramsdale
No, no, no. Jesus is a winger not striker material. Placing both Jesus and Havertz will destroy the midfield and we’ll get overrun.
The fact that no one knows where Havertz should play, (even Arteta as he said to reporters 2 weeks ago) is a concern and waste of 70 million.
We needed a top B2B midfielder, not a versatile player that “hopefully” will fit in somewhere and do more than he did at Chelsea.
Rather bring in a top striker to solve the issue. Sell 2 of the three “strikers” (in name only) we have and replace with 1 of quality.
From the posts looks like Kai will be targeted for our failures.
I will reserve judgement as pre season games are not the yard stick to measure how the season will pan out.
One thing I will say Ramsdale silly mistakes have cost us matches in the past and he needs to cut it out or others given a chance.
If Arsenal are to progress and challenge for trophies, player positions should be earned not guaranteed.
What on earth has Kiwior done to justify being selected at left back?
Just very concerned, shocked even, that we don’t seem to know where or how to use the new players….despite spending over 200M.
Trying to fit square pegs into the round holes comes to mind.
Compare and contrast this to last season (a very successful one) when it was clear from Day 1, that Saliba was the new CB, Jesus was the new No: 9 and Zinchenko our new LB. Arteta has a short memory.
Still ranking Pepe and Fabio Vieira at the very top of the most expensive deadwood ever. Think carefully about plain Rice and overpriced Havertz. Aaron Ramsdale could soon be in contention too.
I hope Havertz will prove to be an attacking asset, but I have little faith he will bring the steel and tenacity we needed yesterday. We looked a soft bunch and always second best in midfield. That said, if you make mistakes at the back and if you don’t take your chances in front of goal, you will lose games regardless.
steel and tenacity….you’re not going to get that from low-energy Havertz.
Answer to the question about the duo upfront, IMO is a resounding NO. Hope I am wrong.
Babasola, spot on with Vieira. The best role I see for Havertz is playing off Jesus in a 4-4-2.
The main issue is that for around £65 million, Arsenal could have got Vlahovic (£70 million) or a cheeky bid for Ivan Tony from Brentford with change left over.
It seems the groaners, moaners and whiners are out in force again.
No doubt a disappointing result with silly mistakes allowing MU a win.
However, this was a preseason game so there’s no need to start panicking.
Hopefully Arteta will prove me wrong about Havertz. I just don’t see him as a big goal scorer as he misses too many easy chances. The missed header against Man U where he was under no pressure yet lazily looped the ball over the bar. MA has certainly got a job to do on him.
Ramsdale is a great shot stopper but does make the odd costly error. Apart from the Leicester City fluke, history tells us that you can have a great team but without a world class keeper you will struggle to win the big trophies. The last six years is a case in point, Liverpool with Becker and City with Ederson. Go back through EPL history, us with David Seaman and Jens Lehmann, Man U with Van der Sar and Peter Schmeichel and Chelsea with Petr Cech. Imo the goalkeeper is the single most important player on the pitch particularly in the modern game of playing out from the back. There is no one better at it than City’s Ederson.