One Arsenal summer signing who had eyes on him during Arsenal’s match against Nottingham Forest yesterday was Kai Havertz, as most people still try to make sense of his move from Chelsea to the Emirates.
Mikel Arteta sanctioned the big-money move for the German, who is notoriously inconsistent and not many are convinced about what he will deliver at the Emirates.
The Gunners started their season with a 2-1 win against a very stubborn Forest side and most of the players did well for the team to earn the win.
Despite the good start from the team, it is hard to see what Havertz did in the match to suggest he was an important signing.
Former Premier League goalkeeper and pundit Shaka Hislop watched the game and said he does not see where the German made a contribution.
“As anticipated, I’m really not sure what Kai Havertz offers Arsenal in all honesty,” he told ESPN.
“And he stuck with him for the entire game. I can’t think of a single thing that Kai Havertz did of note, never mind making Arsenal better, nothing you can talk about.
“If I’m Arteta, I’m trying to figure out what to do with Havertz because it didn’t make sense to me.”
Just Arsenal Opinion
Judging Havertz so soon is harsh, regardless of the price we bought him from Chelsea.
The German is coming into a new club and we need to give him enough time to blend with the rest of the squad and get used to how we play.
Every new player needs time to develop and settle in a new club. Please let’s not get on his back after 5 minutes. Yes, it wasn’t an exceptional performance. But it wasn’t the worst either. He did OK. He still adapting to his new role and the team around him. Give him time!
So, with this explanation you’ve given, why then should he walk straight into the starting line up ahead of someone like Trossard?
That’s my own take.
If you don’t play him, how will he adapt and improve? You have ro give a player time. Yes, you may feel pain at first but over time he may develop under a new manager and tactics. Listen, I’m not saying he’s going to ha a massiah, but let’s not get on his back after a his first PL game for Arsenal. Let’s be patient and see what happens!
That’s what training is for!secondly,he should slowly be introduced like any new players.say few minutes here and there,when the game is already won or against lesser opponents,cups games…..!
KH is one player who was given enough time over the preseason to adapt and improve his game in the Arsenal framework but is the worst to come out of it.
There is no justification to his purchase and he’s continuing from where he left off Chelsea.
Arsenal has enough players they can include and afford them time but this is a 65mil player. He must be ready from get go.
Someone offered up the shady argument that KH important skills and assignment is to ‘occupy the opposing defenders, causing chaos’ from which our forwards can then feed off from.
Going by that logic, Saka, Martinelli, Trossard, Odegard, Rice etc should be averaging at least 3 shots on target each, from which our XG per match will increase exponentially.
So why then did we have a limp 2nd half, with Saka even barely to beat a single man all match long, talk less take pot shots at Mat Turner of blessed memory?
IMO, MA should shove Harvert inside where he kept Viera, Marquinhos and co. locked away from public view. I will rather we write off a 65million loss right away this August, than have a shambles of a season trying to force square pegs into nonexistent round holes! Wake up MA!
We had a limp 2nd half because our distribution from back to front felt the job was done and slowed the game down. Once again the opposition grew in confidence and scored. After that we were nervous. That had been a problem for decades. It’s the main issue we have and it needs to stop. MA has talked about it and talked about until he is blue in the face. We need to kill a game off by scoring as many as we can. I don’t think ot had anything to do about positioning imo.
Then sub out the players who aren’t carrying out the orders. We can’t constantly blame players when we face the same obstacles that led to losing CL spot 2 years ago, and choking away the title last year.
I don’t think City is a level above us, but their MENTALITY is what separates them from us.
Isn’t everyone accountable for those shortcomings? Isn’t that complacency and not finishing off opponents down to players AND manager?
I fear until we find that mentality we will continue to be second best.
That’s about eight subs then? It’s a culture thing as well as a mental thing imo. You can’t simply change most of the squad and not effect the rhythm. I’m not sure how MA can fix it when the problem is as old as time?
Am hoping that this player comes alive in an Arsenal shirt, If the gaffer can do it to Odegaard, why are we doubting him doing the same to the talented German.
Kai is nice guy to have around coz he can cover several positions when need arises.The challenge he has is that he cost us alot of money and he is on a huge pay.From the look of things it is not justifiable why this is the case.
I believe this money would have been invested in getting a natural C.F who this team badly needs to win some silverware.
Therefore unless something drastic happens and he starts performing incredibly well,he will be under enormous pressure.
You Are right Cliff.
I think Edu and MA went for KH because he was available.
With my little Knowldge, you do not buy anything because it avaible. you buy because its is usefull and will enhance your productivity if not worth.
Buy what you only need, even if you have extra funds save it for future needs.
Let us trust the process, he will come good
I think fans underestimate the effect they can have on players. If we get down on Harvertz after one competitive game, we are not only silly, but we shoot ourselves in the foot by not helping the player.
Grealish didn’t exactly shine for City in his first season but is doing his part now. Let’s give Havertz a chance and let’s trust Arteta.
That’s not to say that I understand this purchase. I would have preferred a cheaper option like Kudus who has been trained similarly in playing style like our own. That’s also why Timber adjusted quite quick. Ajax academy and playing style is very much along the lines of our own.
He’s got a lot of talent that hasn’t shone through yet – it is early days, but it’s going to be a challenge to get the most out of him. I believe he’s been signed for that talent in part, but also because he’s able to put into effect the manager’s instructions, does what is asked of him, which seems to be a rare(?) commodity, but it’s not going to be seen as value for money if he doesn’t start producing the passes and goals he’s capable of. I’m fully behind him, but he’s got to start firing quickly because the pressure will only build until he does
We all warned people about this signing , People on here said we where paranoid .
Kai would destroy whatever balance we have in this team and worse will be played to justify the price tag. At this rate i will rather play Viera.
For those saying we should give him time , this is a player who has been in the premier league for 3 seasons and costs 60 mill plus .
What truly scares me is i see absolutely nothing he brings to the game.
Some negativity on here
Leave the guy alone
Can you remember Xhaka was useless for a number of seasons then arteta coached and got the best out of him
Then all of a sudden many of you wanted home stay
Give this guy your support and he will thrive slate him and he will be poor
Your choice
Him
@John0711 . I wouldn’t lie i was also skeptical of Xhaka but lets be honest 5 seasons is too much to give a player to come good . Our target is to win the league i would like more than nothing else to eat humble pie about Kai .
John 0711
65 million for some one not ready you mean.
In that case we should have paid 1 million for an academy grad. This was meant to improve the team not come to learn.
Emile or Trossad should immediately take his position.
I remember more of what trossad did in 20 minutes than what KH did the whole 96 minuts in this game.
It’s just one game I suppose – be fairer to make your opinions on him later in the season.
My greatest concern is that you KNOW Arsenal will always become complacent in every game and will always present an opportunity for our opponents to get back into the game.
Forest was dead and buried – we took our foot off, became complacent as always and gave an opportunity to get back in the game.
Bigger and better teams will punish us for this.
All new players need timeto adjust, which of course varies fromplayer to player. The problem manybof us on JA have is that very few of us could see WHY we wanted HAVERTZ. .
That is my view too, but now that he is here, as supporters of our club, I suggest to all of us that it is our duty to support him and not to get on his back, at least until he has had a PROPER time to fit in.
I reason that our manager plainly rates him and that our manager knows far more about our team and about football than any of us do.
True, or false?
Welcome back Jon
Thank you very much GB. Only just read your kind post!
John,
You have heard MA talk about what is availabe.
That is damn wrong.
They bought him because he was available.
Pep on the other hand talks of strengthening the team, buying what he needs. Most players in City though good are names we had never heard of before they were signed.
If you are exess to requirement though good, Pep will still let you go. He keeps only 22 -25 strong squad that he needs.
Mr pundit , may be just have bias on the player, Give Havertz time. If you watched Zak very well from the time he joined arsenal and the time he has left, you would not blame Havertz
Isooba,
Do you want to win competitions? if so then you have to think twice. Do we have 3 seasons to give KH to adjust? Has he not been in the EPL? what of
players scoring in their first league game(debut) while they have never been in EPL.
Mark you no one is saying he should have scored, We could not just measure his contribution leave alone seeing it.
Strange signing and a lot of money fir what you get!!!!!!!
At a point I was thinking maybe our German (sponsors) kit maker had a hand in how and why we went for the German(Havertz).
Considering the speed with which the deal was completed and and the huge amount involved. We didn’t event balk at the asking price at all before paying.
Oh my God!! what the f**# are you on about???
I greatly detested Kai Havertz when he was at Chelsea because he was one player who used to disturb us. In fact every time he came on the pitch I would anticipate trouble. Thus I strongly urge all Arsenal supporters to give him time to gel with his new teammates. He will eventually deliver.
I’m sorry, I am not optimistic about this guy no matter what anybody says. This guy had no steel in him. He crumbles under every pressure against Forest. Someone mention about Odegaard and Xhaka, in modern football, do you buy a 65M player and start teaching him football? Everyone mentions quality and talent, what exactly is this guy capable of doing? Please play Smith or Viera in the next game. One more thing, has anyone ever observed that the entire world stops rotating when the ball gets to Ben White? I’ve never seen a slower player.
Havertz is clearly a MISTAKE BUY.
A bad page from Arteta’s book of Comical Errors.😏
In the Transfer market, the Player was Dangled like a Fisherman’s Bait, and Arteta the Trout (Pardon my words) went to Swallow.😒
Havertz is Slow, languid, Lightweight and lacks any FIGHTING SPIRIT!
Kanu Nwankwo had the above Qualities but he was a FIGHTER and even went on to Play in 2010 World cup, when his Arsenal Mates had Retired.🙂
At a point I was thinking maybe our German (sponsors) kit maker had a hand in how and why we went for the German(Havertz).
Considering the speed with which the deal was completed and and the huge amount involved. We didn’t event balk at the asking price at all before paying.
Perhaps he is a Phase 5 signing 🙂
Here is to hoping MA is allowed to stay on the job to realize Phase 5 and bed in everyone, before the Saudi’s come calling for him in 2024 with Gazillions
Are we winning the EPL or UCL at Phase 5 or 6? I lost track…
The acquisition of Havertz, never mind the price, remains a puzzle to me. Yes Arsenal wanted Mount who preferred a move to United. So, with money in the pocket, couldn’t we have looked beyond a Chelsea player?
I just hope Harvetz is not another Pepe loading.
I have read in several places that we are trying to trade Tommy for Barella.
Inter Milan of course will NOT do that trade. However, Inter are interested in Balogun too, and they might just trade Barella for Tommy and Flo.
The problem is, where would we play Barella?
His best position would be the one Havertz is occupying at the moment!!
But Barella is a really good player (an Italian International), so I would cheer if we got him.
As an aside, I noticed that Tierney may on the chopping block (transfer wise). Timber was injured against Foreat, Zinc is also currently injured, so who will play left back next week? Will it be Kiwior?
A test for our new bench strength????
Last comment, Arteta did not play Gabriell at center half alongside Saliba.
The combination of those two, in my opinion, was a major reason we had so many clean sheets last year.
I fear that Arteta, in his efforts “to be like Pep”, might just screw up our team in the process!!!
I use the purchase of Havertz as an example (and the possible loan deal for Raya as another).
I really hope not.
Newcastle brought in Tonali, who fitted in straight away and looked the business.
Havertz has looked more like a spare at a wedding!!
Sorry, I am just disappointed at how we played against Forest!!!
I haven’t seen him make a pass beyond 12 yards, he doesn’t defend, he doesn’t press and he does not score. I get the feeling because Arteta paid 65M , he is trying to force Havertz into the side. When it come to transfers no team get it all right however, Havertz showed us during his time at Chelsea that he offers very little so buying him for so much money will come to haunt Arteta. IMO I think we wasted $100M on Havertz ad Viera which we will come to regret. I hope I am wrong but I doubt it.
Far too much negativity about Havertz. Will need to give him more time.
Sometimes, I get pissed off by opinion of JA and some fans here. We are talking about 65 M here. If the argument is , it’s too early to judge him or he needs time to adjust to his new team and new role then, one may wish to know what about Timber, Partey, Saliba and so many them came to the team and made impacts.
In the same stretch, why is it difficult to give Balogun chance to fail? And here we are defending mediocrity. If a player is good, you don’t all the time in world to notice it. How can you leave a player who found it difficult to make a complete pass on the pitch for 90 mins?
Arteta has started again! By the end of May next year, his foot soldiers will begin to invent excuses why he failed.
Why on earth will prefer a striker who has gone on loans severally and has been given enough time to prove himself but failed over some one who on his first loan scored 20+ goals? This can only happen in arsenal.
Isooba,
Do you want to win competitions? if so then you have to think twice. Do we have 3 seasons to give KH to adjust? Has he not been in the EPL? what of
players scoring in their first league game(debut) while they have never been in EPL.
Mark you no one is saying he should have scored, We could not just measure his contribution leave alone seeing it.