Considering Kai Havertz’s impressive form in attack, will Arsenal still pursue a new striker in the upcoming summer transfer window? Some Arsenal fans find themselves pondering this rather peculiar question.
Examining Arsenal’s attacking line-up in recent months reveals Havertz’s consistent deployment as the striker. In his unique style, he has brilliantly spearheaded the Arsenal attack during the Premier League run-in.
Impressively, in the last 11 league games, the 24-year-old has managed to score eight goals and provide five assists.
Frequently, Chelsea used the £65 million Arsenal recruit as a striker, but he didn’t have the same impact as he does now.
If you were to ask any Gunner about where they prefer Havertz deployed, they would likely suggest playing him in attack as he has never seemed so comfortable in Arsenal’s midfield.
It appears that Mikel Arteta has shifted his focus away from Havertz playing as a midfielder. He is now eager to bring in a top-notch midfielder to play alongside Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard in his midfield.
So what will Havertz’s fate be amidst the potential arrival of a top midfielder and the much anticipated striker signing in the summer? Given his impressive progress under Mikel Arteta in just a few months (finally showing signs of a striker), one can only imagine how much he will continue to improve with further coaching at Arsenal.
It raises the question of whether Arteta should consider forgoing the move for a striker and sticking with the German as his No. 9.
While the lack of a top striker signing may cause some disappointment, Arteta could potentially use the funds to recruit a top winger and an attacking-minded midfielder to support Martin Odegaard. If Arteta opts not to sign a striker because of Havertz, could that be a viable option?
Daniel O
Well I don’t know what MA thinks. Maybe he does think we need a prolific striker. I believe that we do. Kai has improved but he isn’t the answer up front in my opinion. Up front seems to be his best position though
“Incredible” form is NOT the same as saying Havertz HAS been both good and productive.
How I WISH our precious language was not so easily, lazily and commonly misused. Sigh!
@Jon
Eh? If 13 goal involvements in 11 games is not incredible, please enlighten me what it should be referred as….
ODD QUESTION THAT PAT, as I had already said he was good and productive.
But as you failed to notice that seemingly, I will say it again. He IS good and productive, though NOT “INCREDIBLE”.
Important nuances of difference are there in English for good reasons.
AND IT IS NOT WISE TO MISUSE THEM SO SLOPPILY.
Ah now that shows that you are ignoring the nuances. The statement was “incredible form” NOT Havertz is incredible….
A risible and rather pathetic effort to escape the fact that you choose not to use English correctly!
His form , nor his alround ability, are neither of them, “INCREDIBLE”!
He is though, as I REPEAT AGAIN, A GOOD AND PRODUCTIVEPLAYER. Albeit one paid at least three times too much
Or in FULL truth, like all players, about thirty times too much. Though I cannot lay that blame at his door,obviously!
So …. as you are deflecting yet again…
How would you describe 13 goal involvements in 11 games if not “incredible”???
Are you shortsighted or simply stubborn and obstinate in REFUSING TO SEE WHAT I have ALREADY described him as?
GOOD AND PRODUCTIVE, and however many MORE
you ask that same tedious, pointless, already answered question, GOOD AND PRODUCTIVE remains my answer. CLEAR FINALLY!!!??
I’m not sure an up top all out striker suits our style of play but they said that about Haaland to City.
Anyway I found a helpline for totts supporters in their time of despair, it’s- 0800 10 10 10 ( 0800 won nothing, won nothing, won nothing) 😊
Happy St Totteringham’s Day GB!
Happy St Totts day to you too AdPat. 🎉🎉
The club needs to be very objective on Kai Havertz. Is he good enough to be the main CF? If not, will he be sold or benched? Both of which are hard for a player on 300k+ weekly
He looks good and very convincing. A striker is not necessary unless Jesus were to be sold.
We need 2 new midfielders if Partey and co are leaving but at least 1 of them must have Partey’s profile.
If the manager had fielded this line-up against Bayern and Aston Villa, things would have been different.
Partey gives freedom to our whole front line and they can always score. The absence of Partey and Xhaka is the reason why Martinelli, Jesus and Odegaard are not scoring as many goals as they did in the last campaign
Agree with you about the line-up against Villa and Bayern.
If Odegaard is injured Havertz is the guy to step into his role as an attacking midfielder which is where he made his reputation in Germany.In terms of priorities for next season we need a LB, a DM and someone who can operate effectively across the front three.Hato of Ajax, Fofanna of Monaco or Zubimendi and Williams of Athletico Bilbao are players who could meet our requirements.There are numerous others, but Hato is a must as he is regarded as a generational talent by Dutch pundits, press and his fellow players
Havertz in the midfield makes the whole team terrible! So far, he’s been poor and that kills the midfield choking both attack and defense. I would rather he remains a CF and if Odegaard is out, at least try Smith Rowe.
Every other thing but not Havertz in the midfield.
He lacks everything that makes a good midfield player.
Poor on the ball, too slow, lacks creativity not to talk of the ability to play in tight spaces as Odegaard does.
To use his time at chelsea as any kind of measuring stick is completely wrong.
We have all seen him improve since his move and there is still more room for improvement, including clinical finishing and ball control.
But THAT pass to Saka against the spuds was just superb and showed me, at least, his football intelligence in every area of the pitch.
I do think we should invest in an out and out striker of the Toney mould, in order to change our tactics and have a ready made A and B game plan.
When one remembers how the media (and certain members of our own fan base) ridiculed spending the reported £65 million on a chelsea reject, one should just applaud the player and manager for the outcome… and think about what it will cost to buy a proven striker.
My only gripe is his ridiculous reported salary.
i do think Havertz at centre forward is now our Plan A best formation – so that has changed since January
i can still see the need to upgrade on Nketiah and Jesus, particularly from a clinical finishing perspective – so that hasn’t changed since January
i can still the need for a Plan B when we are frustrated by an XI behind the ball ultra low block – though that hasn’t happened since January
so we may still seek a striker, but may be a different sort of one
more of a young centre forward who can play across the front three
less of the £100m out and out striker longed for on this forum
that may be also why Zirkzee and Sesko are names mentioned recently, and the like of Toney and Osihmen barely at all anymore
I firmly believe we can RULE OUT COMPLETELY, any chance of Toney or Osihmen coming to us .
I am convinced that despite both being good players, MA IS NOT INTERESTED IN EITHER, correctly so IMO!
Assuming Pep leaves or Man City is deducted points next season, we would then need to just keep most of our squad, improve the bench and we should win the league. Without Pep we would be winning our second title in a row!!
SS In truth , without City having been bought by a corrupt sheikh, on behalf of a corrupt state, we would be on the verge of retaining our current Prem title.
REALITY!!!
If City gets points deducted it will be for the season after next…2025/26, and even then most unlikely due to the lawyers delaying tactics. But Pep did say he would leave if they were found guilty…so keep your hopes up.
I think if he maintains his good form, we could spend less on a new striker. maybe pay the 50M in sesko than the 100M + in gyokeres or osimhen
the embedded condemnation of Havertz before even kicked a ball in Arsenal shirt is regrettably not going to change for some no matter what
naively I hoped Arsenal supporters were different to others, regrettably not
it is perhaps just more pragmatic to agree to disagree, and not let the mindless trolls bring this very special moment (the most fun I have had supporting Arsenal in 20 years) down
this is best Arsenal team I have ever seen*, and like it or not Havertz is a part of that
* even if Man C pip us what i see is the best team i have seen (in this modern age of football Man C would beat the ‘invincibles’)
As you say you’ve been supporting The Arsenal for 20 years, you must have started the year of the Invincibles, yet you say you are watching the best Arsenal team you have ever seen?!?!
If you believe that this current squad is better than said Invincibles, God help mankind🙏.
The only player who would get into that Invincible starting 11 is Saliba, while Odegaard, Saka, Martinelli and Gabriel (at the back) would make the squad.
As for city beating the Invincibles, I offer up another prayer 🙏 for sanity to return to the ranks of The Arsenal fanbase.
Of course I am an older fan, ahem, but that means I have seen many teams over the years and, for that one Invincible season, I was lucky enough to have witnessed THE greatest squad ever, with no weaknesses in any position and playing wonderful attacking football.
MA would love to have the likes of Lehman, Campbell, Cole, Bergkamp, Henry, Pires, Gilberto, Parlour, Toure, Lauren, Petit in his squad and they would ALL walk into this current squad and think of the money he would have saved!!
I find it so sad that our own fans are highlighting city to the detriment of such a powerhouse group of players… but it’s all about opinions and respecting other’s views, even if it’s through gritted teeth and a weary shake of the head!!
And not PATRICK VIEIRA??
i said, and i quote “the most fun I have had supporting Arsenal in 20 years”, i have of course been supporting longer, 40 years or more, but the last 20 this is the best fun watching the team, at times in the last 20 years watching Arsenal has not been much fun, i think we can all identify with that
the Invincibles were clearly head and shoulders above those of their time, and you can only beat what’s in front of you
but football has moved on in the last 20 years, the pace, the skill. the professionalism, the globalisation, the discipline, the tactics, the recruitment, the coaching…every single aspect
i think we would all agree, including the aggrieved ken, that football had moved on massively from 1984 to 2004, and our own Arsene Wenger was a big part of that revolution
Arsene Wenger, and Arsenal, were the praised beneficiaries of revolutionising football
the progression of football between 1984 and 2004 is undeniable, or perhaps you Ken do deny it
the progression of football between 2004 and 2024 is equally undeniable, if anything even more accelerated, and continuing to accelerate, or do you deny that too our Ken
the feats of this Man C team demonstrate that, they would blow the Invincibles away no doubt that, 5 titles in 6 seasons closing in on 4 in a row, best we managed was 2
Man C are quite simply the best PL team ever by a distance, consistent winning in the way they have, and for this Arsenal XI to be this close to taking the crown off the best ever, well ask yourself…
you say ‘respect other opinions’ then in same monologue ‘God help mankind’ and ‘prayer for sanity to return’, it’s about time you practiced what you preach!
Well said ! I agree completely!
Our Invincibles failed to win12 outof 38 games. This season we have failed to win only ten with three probable wins to follow. And with far better opponents across the Prem now too.
Of course modern City and we ourselves would beat our Invincibles, because as you correctly say, football has moved on a great deal since 2004, just as it in2004 had also moved on from 1984, and 1984 from1964 and so on.
Modern Arsenal would beat Chapmans thirties best by many goals, without any doubt.
I can still pray for you, while respecting your views and, of course, I ALWAYS practice what I preach – hence my list of players who would walk into this squad and giving examples to you.
Lehman for Raya? 100%
Cole for who is there? 100%
Campbell for Gabriel? 100%
Lauren for White? 100%
Vieria for Partey? 100%
Petit for Rice? 50 – 50
Bergkamp for Odegaard? 100%
Pires for Martinelli? 100%
Henry for Nketiah 100%
Ljunberg for Trossard? 100%
Gilberto for Jorginho? 100%
Reyes for Saka? 25 – 75
The whole Invincible squad was full of top players, who steamrollered everyone in that season and they were the original examples of footballers being athletes as well – that’s why I believe, in their prime, they would just blow city away.
I didn’t disagree with anything else you said, just the example of the Invincibles that season versus city and modern day football.
Tell you what our Arsenal1886, you list the city players of today versus the Invincibles in their prime that season and tell me who you think was better.
For example:
Henry or Haaland? 100% Henry
Bergkamp or Bruyne 100% Bergkamp
Campbell or Stone 100% Sol.. over to you.
By the way, your monologue our Arsenal1886, asked if I considered football has progressed and my answer is yes, but a squad like the Invincibles in that season would still be able to beat today’s city,… that’s what you claimed and I disagree – so what’s with rolling out the trophies city have won?
It’s comparing one season with The Invincibles (your point not mine) as that feat was just the one season was it not?
I’m sure Petit wasn’t an Invincible Ken. Perhaps you could slip Edu in there.
Your correct Jax, my mistake.
Edu for Rice = 25 75 %
👍
So we are now debating again then? Tell me first that is your wish and I WILL THEN REPLY TO YOU KEN.
Havertz is as much striker as you are an intellectual, Pat. What Arsenal need is a first class CF, and the best on the market is Viktor Gyökeres. The Swede.
If Arsenal want to be abel to win titles the club must go for the best. They will lose this season because of that awful game vs that Birmingham side. No one in 18 yard box or the 6 yard box could get the job done. But Gyökeres have the mass scoring qualities.
If we had a top striker, we would have been crowned champions by now. Havertz has done a decent job but we need a top striker to compete with Man City and challenge for the champions league.
Havertz is just a middleweight contender. To easy to get out of ballance for big strong CBs. He is flying like a glove when tackled, and is being accused of diving when he do, which he isn’t. Just being to light.
And Here’s A Warning: Get Gyökeres if for sale. If Arsenal don’t get him someone else will, and if that someone else is a member of the EPL, you gooners are in trouble. Say goodbye to all dreams of “trophies” etc. Just think what would happen if Liverpool buy this fantastic striker, or if Chelsea do it, Man United, or uh… Tottenham. If City buy him to play with Håland and Fooden!!! Arsenal will not for a generation come near a Major title.
So fellow gooners, become active in this urgent matter, tell Mikel-Edu and the Kroenke family to sign this guy, or kidnap him, if necessary. Get Gyökeres!
A top striker is what I hear everyone say. But is there one in the market? One who not just scores goals but also assist the team in defense, links up with the players well, works like a mule, is versatile enough, has great injury resilience and is available throughout the season. I don’t know.
What we have is Kai, who ticks most of the boxes and just needs to be more clinical in front of the goal, which he has shown that he can improve upon.
Be careful what you wish for is all I’m saying. You cannot just take Kai away and replace him with a “top striker” if he can’t link up properly, doesn’t run back and defend when needed, is injured often or struggles for form, has a troublesome attitude or myriad other things that can go wrong.
I wanted Isak in Arsenal, but hey, he stayed sidelined for quite some time with injury at Newcastle, and wouldn’t have produced much in the Arsenal team if we had got him instead. It’s always a gamble and deals like Haaland are once in a lifetime deals.
Gyokeres is hot deal right now, and so was Darwin Nunez. Look how that turned out.
It’s easy to forget what what we have in Havertz right now, he can play all season, is remarkably tough, and has been ticking all other check boxes and now is being more clinical and getting goals and assists. And he is just getting started. If I was Arteta, I would rather invest in a quality Partey replacement, a back up for Saka, and a top defender who can deputize for Saliba or Gabriel. That would be my priority this summer. Top striker not so much. Only if funds allow after the above positions are secured.
Pretty much my thinking. Good post. 👍
Why take Havertz away? Saka-Gyökeres-Havertz sounds good to me. Very good, in fact.
Perhaps Arsenal will Make Do And Mend for next season with the forwards we have and put his hopes on young goal machine Chido after a season on loan in the Championship or European equivalent. He really does look terrific, and it would be a huge waste to spend huge when we have such homegrown talent.
…and put OUR hopes…
Don’t expect to much from Chido. His supremacy comes from the fact that he is a big guy for his age. In two or three years, when he shall be facing guys as big as he (and bigger), then we will se what he is worth. I fear that he will be a quite ordinary 18- 19 yo. Hopefully I’m wrong.
I think Havertz is going thru a purple patch, and is liable to hit a barren spell next season
Also, Havertz is not a “Fox in the Box” type striker.
We need a replacement for Jesus, someone like Ollie Watkins.
We also need some real pace up front, down the middle.
Let’s see what the dynamic duo come up with in the Summer
Pace is an elusive factor to me. People said Ozil was slow, but when he started running with full gallop, he was fast! Not quick to start, but fast when at full speed. Havertz is similar to Ozil in that aspect, except that he is more willing and less lazy to do so. Pace doesn’t matter if the player has mediocre football IQ and game management. (Offsides anyone?) I have seen many players with Blistering pace but most were just that with no timing and control for the run. That’s where I rate Havertz highly, he is probably the best at making those runs successfully by not getting caught offside. In that aspect he is elite in the PL. All he needs imo is the Bundesliga spirit, where we see many out of the box attempts at goal, and mastering the high angle shots into the corners and periphery of the goalpost. If Havertz masters that, he already has a great substrate to apply goalscoring attempts. Personally, I rate Football IQ higher than Pace. Pace has situational benefits, IQ lasts the whole game, even if the player is exhausted to burn any pace. I think Havertz has a very high football IQ, all he needs is to practice shooting and mastering the tight angle goals that go kissing the goal posts on their way in. And I think he has that in his arsenal, just needs to practice,