Arsenal forward Kai Havertz is undoubtedly one of the most polarising Gunners. Gooners love and hate him in equal measure. In any case, Havertz’s strong work ethic and consistent availability make him a crucial member of this Arsenal team.
Mikel Arteta has, for the last few months, trusted him with the keys to his attack. While he has occasionally excelled in leading the Arsenal attack by scoring goals, his inconsistency in front of goal has been a problem.
Midfielder Jorginho recently got to speak about the Arsenal striker. He revealed that it caught him by surprise that the Gooners didn’t initially realise what a special player they had gotten from the £65 million Havertz swoop in the summer of 2023.
The Italian midfielder says that the criticism levelled at the ex-Bayer Leverkusen man was unfair, and he is glad that he was there to support his ex-Chelsea teammate, who he now feels is in a good place. He believes that Havertz is consistently improving and proving to be a valuable asset to this Arsenal team, whether it’s through his ingenuity or his willingness to sacrifice himself.
“It’s crazy because he’s just an unbelievable player,” Jorginho said on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast. “At the beginning when people was hammering him, I was like, these people, what are they talking about
“I was like, is this really happening? I can’t believe it. I was like, oh my days. And then actually I went to Kai a few times and I was like, Kai, don’t listen, forget about it.
“You know what you can do it. This is crazy. And how much he helps the team, the way he plays.
“And for me, the big improvement he had since he came to Premier League is how tougher he’s getting every day. He’s getting tougher and tougher. And now he’s at this place that is unbelievable
“The confidence he has, the confidence that he gives to the team as well. And he’s so clever. He puts his body always in the same, in the best positions.
“He always gives a solution and he finds solutions in situations that you don’t believe he’s going to come out of or he’s just, he’s a baller. He’s like a big one.”
Despite their desire for him to consistently score goals, I’m confident that most Gooners now recognize Kai Havertz’s skills as a baller.
Havertz, who was on the scoresheet as Arsenal beat West Ham 5-1 last Saturday, has made himself a key part of Arsenal’s plans. I know Arsenal ended up struggling without Martin Ødegaard after the September international break, but you’d agree if not for Havertz stepping up, Arsenal would have been a lot worse off.
Even if the Gunners sign a goal-scoring machine, Havertz’s character would likely keep him playing; Arteta would want to capitalise on his versatility and work rate effectively. Havertz’s character would undoubtedly ensure his continued inclusion in the team, leveraging his versatility and work rate effectively. Surely, as Gooners, we don’t need Jorginho to remind us how good Havertz is any more, do we?
Sam P.
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Arsenal fans shows less tolerance as opposed some others
I remember how the Liverpool faithfuls welcome back Luiz Suarez into their fold , his failed transfer request falls through and I was saying Arsenal fans would never do that.
Arsenal fans welcomed Thierry Henry back.
Havertz needs competition as striker, and someone to rotate with, hopefully a plan B that offers a different tactical approach.
Just don’t shoehorn him into midfield; his quality drops and the midfield is unbalanced.
Kai has been effective as striker when the system purrs, but I would rather see Nwanarei covering for Odegaard than Havertz.
Kai does his best work as striker for us, so don’t Tinker to accommodate players.
Fans didn’t just wake up and start hammering him without any reason, he is an expensive player who was made the highest earner yet wasn’t performing according to those standards.
Pepe wasn’t given that sympathy did he?
I respect people who voice their opinions than those who always use hindsight to create opinions.
That’s why I pay absolutely zero attention to pundits. They are kings of hindsight.
Havertz was a Premier League experienced and expensive player who was grossly underperforming.
Should fans have been singing the praise of such a player?
I disagree.
A lot of people made excuses for Pepe initially and he did not receive the flak that Havertz received right from the time he joined Arsenal.
At a time some people were criticising Arteta for favouring Saka over Pepe.
Hasn’t really set the world on fire as he .
Does what it says on the tin ,will never be a world beater and very much doubt he will be leading the line if and when we finally get to grab a trophy under this make believe process the manager as being harping on about .
Really hope we dig deep in the transfer market and get a proper number 9 next summer (if we have any funds left )
My problem with most fans is that they are too patient. They always make excuses for Arteta, “trust the process”, which process, can’t we see Liverpool’s new manager doing well in his first yeah. But most fans here want Arteta to be given ten years. I just can’t understand the logic behind it, but I think if Liverpool ends up winning the league most of those fans will have to berry their faces in shame and disappear from this forum.
Apparently though slot was left with an up and coming premiership winning team .
10 points behind city and spent 10 million on one player,we on the other hand who finished 8points clear on them spent another 100 million but sit 9points behind them .
Apparently there was no top class manager in world football that wasnt available to take over our club .
Strange one that .
stranger still that i don’t remember either of you clamouring for Slot in the summer???
strange one that!
It’s not a supporter’s job to list potential candidates. That’s club’s management job. All of you Arteta’s apologists insisted on more than numerous occasions that there was no capable manager available if Arteta was to leave.
As Ken has been pointing out these past two weeks a fact that four top six clubs have pointed four new managers exposes your argument as silly and lacking a grain of sensibility (as most of your arguments usually are). Any attempt to save face look comical to say the least.
After all you are the ones who suggested our bad run of form was possibly due to Edu’s departure. I still am in disbelief I read that.
If Slot ends up winning the league the eggs on your faces will be so large and so sticky it will take a year to clean them up.
While like you I want Slot to fail, I want him to fail because it will give us a chance to win the league while you and your ilk want him to fail because his success will make Arteta look bad.
Its very clear in this site who are Arsenal only supporters and who are Arteta first Arsenal second supporters.
HH,
I’ve found 2 fellow supporters who have the same view as me. The other one being Dan Kit.
It looks like my movement is gathering pace.😊😁😂🤣👍
So Derek
You are of the opinion that I put Arteta before Arsenal then as well?
Perhaps you would be kind enough to consider the fact that I first went to Highbury in the mid 60s – a couple of decades before Arteta was born and have put my support of Arsenal before any manager that has held the role. No ifs or buts. It may surprise you and others that Arteta gets my support because I actually think he’s doing a good job. Nothing more and nothing less.
And I wholehearted agree with that sentiment SueP, – We have seen many more managers than Wenger, Emery and Arteta, and it doesn’t matter who is in charge, while they are the Arsenal boss I will support them…
Arteta has been given more than enough time, 3 more years than an average manager is given these days, has been given nearly a billion in spending as well as writing off 560 million worth of talents, and total authority over the players.
If one keep excusing lack of trophies, excuses bad decisions and bad runs of form, neither criticize nor tolerate any criticism against Arteta, he has put him before the club to me no matter how long he has been a supporter or he is a descendant of Arsenal founders.
SueP,
Can I ask you why you singled me out and not HH, after all it was him that wrote the original piece.
I was just agreeing with it, that’s all.
People make me laugh, I’m always being told that all the other contributors are entitled to their views other than mine. That’s true, but it doesn’t seem to be the same for me.
Surely I’m entitled to my opinion, and I’m aloud to have one to.
Derek
I have considerable sympathy with your predicament and I mean it. You have been unwittingly caught up in a long standing disagreement. Those involved do not directly reply to each other or if they do, it is ignored and snide remarks are directed via third parties. For the record, I am as guilty as the rest. Unfortunately, you came in with your take on the Arteta management angle and it has exacerbated the dicey nature of the “pro” and “anti” camps. So much so that I don’t relish having to take a year out of my life having to wipe egg off my face when Liverpool win the league. It’s a pathetic slur on those who DO ACTUALLY BELIEVE Arteta has been good for Arsenal and it is the absolute antithesis of supporting your club
All you and I can do is carry on with our joint convictions- even if we often have a difference of opinion. At least we, our case, we have found a sense of humour in our differences and maintain a decent understanding
SueP,
Just when I think you can’t win me around, there you go again and do it.😉👍
😊
@DEREK, do you really need every one to justify and have the same views or opinions as you? Or can we just live and let live and respect every Arsenal fans opinion? Just Arsenal is not a popularity contest….
My movements are normally okay in the morning!
I would like to point out that DK has been against Arteta long before you arrived on JA DEREK.
They do say that ex lax is good for the movement.
And the only one along with Phil who has never wavered in their views followed closely by Reggie.
Ken1945,
Your all right, I read enough bleep from certain fans, who must be taking gallons of the stuff, with some of the Bleep they come out with.🤣😂👍
Good old DEREK always full of bleep
Admin Pat,
And I don’t need Laxatives.😂🤣👍
If it’s not the fans/supporters job to “list potential candidates”, then also it’s not for the fans/supporters to call for the sacking of the manager. Fans/supporters can’t have it both ways.
(Lols)
Dan Kit,
Point well made.
I remember folks asking / saying that there was no one out there if MA was to leave.
Since then, pool, manure, chelsea, spuds and brighton have all appointmented new managers / coached.
Even stranger that one!!
Are they better than the one we have?
The league table and results always shows who is better. There is no room for opinion or personal preference in that.
The best ones are those who have trophies in their names. The runner up and those who come up short time after time are just newer versions of Spur’s Pochetino.
I disagree. There is plenty of room for opinion.
The league table and results are important considerations. However, there are other factors that are increasingly being taken into consideration in assessing how good a manager is.
It is ridiculous to suggest that the only determinants of a manager’s ability is the league position or number of trophies.
@HH, if “The league table and results always shows who is better.” then the fact is that Arteta is better than every other manager other than Arne Slot right now?
Is that what you mean?
That is exactly what I mean. And he has been the second best for the past two seasons.
That is a factual truth that is not possible to deny.
Those who kept insisting there is no manager available are in a very tight position now. The only results that will keep them talking is if either Arsenal win the league, or Man city win and Arsenal second.
Any new manager finishing above Arsenal will shut them up for good.
HH,
What your forgetting is, there are fans out there that are perfectly happy with second best.
You just can’t make this stuff up.
I would have been happy with 4th best or even 8th best had Arteta been an actual coach instead of a checkbook manager.
A checkbook manager should win trophies otherwise what’s the point of big spending?
In my opinion second best is 20 times better than 5th best, no?
Who knows? Only trophies will tell us that, so we wait with baited breath.
My point was / is there are other managers who the big clubs will take a gamble with… as we did with both Arteta and Wenger!!
Ken1945
In response to your post, there is always someone out there. Arteta, like or loathe him, was out there at one point after all.
The newest manager is Van Nistelrooy and he got off to a very good start last night but will that translate to a successful season? There will no doubt be other changes during the season as results ebb and flow.
When Arteta looked severely under threat 2/3 seasons ago, the question was asked about a replacement. Nagelsmann and Ten Hag were the two outliers with the rest being Conte, Ancelotti and the like. The hypothetical question is about whether his replacement would have done a better job and of course, he may or may not. When to stick or twist and the consequences of doing so.
The interesting aspect of the appointments that you have listed is they are not ‘big names’ but managers doing well but not with a great body of work behind them. Potter was in a similar position at Brighton and that went horribly wrong. Emery has been lauded for his work at Villa, but this season the results have tailed off after a bright start, but are the VIlla alarm bells ringing? I would hope not as the season is still at an early stage.
Change is not necessarily the panacea but of course, it can be. Knowing when to stick or twist.
Please see my answer to Chronicle above SueP.
They could all be busted flushes of course.
The hammering is more from those who think Gabriel Jesus is a striker and Kai Harvertz is not.