After Manchester City and Liverpool drew 1-1, the Gunners simply needed to beat Brentford at G-Tech to end the day on top of the Premier League standings for the first time this season.
Fortunately, the Gunners accomplished what they needed to do to climb to the top of the league table. Kai Havertz, who came on as a 79th-minute replacement, stepped up to become the day’s hero, heading an 89th-minute header from a Bukayo Saka cross in front of goal.
👏👏👏
— Gunners (@Gunnersc0m) November 26, 2023
After the win, Mikel Arteta, speaking to football.london, implied that his decision to put in Havertz wasn’t random. He and his technical bench analyzed what they were seeing on the pitch and looked at the bench, and Havertz was the solution to the questions being asked of them on the pitch.
“Yeah, it was great. We are so happy. I think we deserved to win the game. We played extraordinarily well. We believed that Kai could change the game, he won the game for us, and that is what people do,” said Arteta..
Havertz has had a sluggish start at the Emirates. He was once considered to be Xhaka’s replacement, but the Swiss international’s shoes have been too big to fill. He started as a first-teamer but was demoted to the bench due to his failure to shine. In recent weeks, he has had to make do with cameo appearances, but I believe that will change in the future.
His goal against Brentford should be a watershed moment for him after ensuring Arsenal ended up on top of the table.
Daniel O
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Well, we won. But let’s note it is not the last goal that wins the title. It actually will help in winning the title.
Lucky Havertz. One goal and he has fulfilled his manager’s dreams. Other players who’ve cost much less score 10+ goals per season and it’s still not enough. I think the bar drops where he’s concerned.
Mediocre, over valued player.
The big German scores again and this time its a massive one which may have junk off a huge slice of his £65 mill price tag.
“AGAIN”????
@Jon, are you determined to complain about everyone’s use of Words that you don’t like?
You seem to becoming more aggressive in recent days…
Pat I try as best I can to SHOW CERTAIN FANS – and it is only a certain few fans, if you looki nto it fully , as I suggest you do – to THINK, before posting obvious hype and nonsense .
Yes, of course I sometimes debate onJA with OTHER, CLEARLY BRIGHTER FANS, like Ken and even such as Grandad, both of whom are hugely knowledgeable and wise men, even if I , occasionally go over the top, as KEN, in particular, sometimes, only sometimes ,also does with me too.
That is surely par for the course in a proper fan site and should be encouraged, not discouraged and certainly not censored, as is your usual way.
I accept that certain shallow intellect folk on here are beyond help. And that I waste my time trying to debate with CERTAIN FEW fans who have not the ability nor the intention to debate.
But as I have often said to you, both in posts and inprivate emails, you run the risk of running a totally bland and boring site, if you keep criticising both me and on other occasions, a very few other real thinkers who are regulars on JA.
I have said to you, over and over again that a “boring, say nothing but bland platitudes fans site” is not worth a thinkers time and effort.
For what its worth though, I will no longer bother debating with the FEW on here who will NEVER engage their brains, before posting hype and nonsense.
There is nothing I like more than healthy discussion, but I stop short at allowing obvious personal insults. That may be the norm for other Arsenal blogs, but I will NOT have personal abuse or trolls if I can help it…
Could not agree more But a troll, I AM NOT.
Nor do I abuse folk. I do argue forcefully aginst them when I THINK THEM WRONG.
“ABUSE” IS A WORD WITH VERY DIFFERENT MEANINGS TO DIFERENT PEOPLE HOWEVER.
AN ODDLY USED MEANING TO “WOKE ” FOLK, BUT ANOTHER ENTIRELY, TO THOSE WHO UNDERSTAND THE CORRECT MEANING OF ENGLISH WORDS.
John there is a big difference between physical abuse and personal low level abuse and bullying. Continually calling out other readers intelligence and grammar skills is also abuse which is very prevalent online. Especially by troll like commenters against people who they disagree with. This is also known as verbal bullying which is the category I would put you under. Capiche?
What would you have me say PAT!!
You have long known exactly how I LOVE AND TREASURE free speech in this ghastly tyrannical woke world we live in today, where free speech is in danger of being completely forbidden in so many organisations. And on JA too, to my sadness and dismay.
I will not lie about what I HOLD DEAR AND ALWAYS WILL!
Unless you judge him solely on goal contributions,I think Havertz has been playing relatively well for a while now,for both Arsenal and Germany. Let’s hope the goal will help him impose himself more in games the way he did against Newcastle.Credit to Arsenal fans in stadiums who have been nothing but supportive.
Onyango you are so right about him playing better in recent times, am convinced not all fans and in particular a certain armchair manager have been watching the games.
He seems really physical and difficult to play against recently, you could feel the relief off the gaffer shoulders as the big German decided this one.
But Onyanga, surely he was bought as an attacking player, so goals and assists ARE key to any success he may have!!
AND NO WISE FAN should overlook that need.
And judged, as he should be,on those counts, he has largely failed so far.
Well Jon,he’s listed on the Arsenal website as a midfielder and he’s been playing in midfield except for two games I think. I don’t know where you get the idea that he was bought as an attacking player.
He’s pretty well always played as an attacking midfielder or forward before this season. His strengths were always considered to be around his attacking movement and passing in the forward areas, not really the defensive side to his game or anything else to my knowledge; maybe his shooting/finishing at one point.
I don’t think he’s played too badly since he’s joined, but i don’t think he’s been brilliant either – he’s not really showing the strengths to his game and leaving a mark to anywhere near the extent he can, and he’s mostly been just a physical presence. Looks short of confidence still to me. I hope it changes soon – it’s clear he has the support of his teammates, which can only help.
Disagree with Jon that he *needs* goals/assists to be a success (players like hleb and modric at spurs were brilliant attack-minded players with poor numbers), but he does need to make more of an impact imo.
Davi I think he’s been improving going back to the game against Westham. Maybe it had to do with playing on the right-looks more comfortable there than on the left imo. Thought his game against Newcastle was the best in an Arsenal shirt but the loss and the controversy surrounding the Newcastle goal overshadowed that. He seems to be a confidence player as you have alluded to; the goal should help with that to an extent.He clearly has something that no one else in our attack has – a combination of good movement and height which can be very useful,particularly against stubborn defenses.
As for his general attacking contributions,you have to consider it in the wider context of the team dynamics. Our attack has not looked as promising as last season. There’s something not quite right there,but I can’t put a finger on it. I reckon not even Xhaka would be scoring goals or assisting them in our current set-up. You could also argue that Havertz would have more goal contributions in the free flowing,front foot system Arsenal used effectively last season,before opponents found a way to counter it.
The problem is not how he plays because everybody knows that Kai is good play but the expectation of the fun base, spectators expected much from him and that’s why theirs a lot of complain
You’ve seen nothing YET! Kai is yet to explode, awful lot more to come.
VAMOS your way overhyped post is nothing but a triumph of in vain hope over any evidence this season.
OR Havertz’s last three poor seasons at Chelsea.