Kai Havertz scores again
Mikel Arteta and his Arsenal team climbed back to the top of the league after a dominating clash against Brighton away from home. Another game where it looked like we were at our best, composed and working well together as a unit. Arteta and his coaching staff have done wonders this season with bringing this squad together and putting Arsenal back on the map with a fighting chance to win the title this season.
Winning 3-0 after a dominant game and yet another goal for Kai Havertz – and a great goal at that. Havertz has been much improved in this second half of the season and looks unstoppable now he’s found his feet. It took a little longer than I think he would have wanted, but the attacker now looks to have truly found his feet and home in the North of London.
Havertz was always talented and showed that for his country and when he was playing for Leverkusen Chelsea, but I think being in that self-destructive Chelsea environment got to him and being in the type of environment made it hard for him to succeed and be at his best.
Since joining the Gunners, Arteta and the whole squad have backed him and taken him under the wing to make sure that he is succeed and his paid that trust and respect back by becoming one of our most potent players this season. At the moment, he’s on a roll and can be the type of the player to make the difference in any game and last night was no different.
Not only did he score a beautiful well worked team goal by being in the right place at the right time, like a fox in the box, but he also assisted Leandro Trossard’s goal in the dying minutes of the game with a great pass through to set the winger off on his solo run.
Havertz is not only great at scoring and providing goals, but his movements are great too, he seems to always get into the right positions and make the right runs when he needs to. He hold the ball up well to give time for his teammates to get into positions that push the team forward and also is great at getting back, pressing and helping out in defence.
When he first joined, it was questioned by a lot of people and because he didn’t hit the ground running, there were a lot of doubts over if he would be able to fit in and make a difference. I personally started to see the positions he was getting into and the moves he was making and knew that once he felt comfortable and once his teammates got to understand his way of play, he would start to fly and he’s done just that.
A great pick up by Arteta, the club and the recruitment team and well worth the 60 million we spent on him. Hopefully he continues to improve and work well under Arteta because so far, he’s be fantastic.
What’s your thoughts Gooners?
Daisy Mae
CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, please contact us through this link…
The big German could be peaking at the right time, and if the former Chelsea man who delivered their last champions league title, if his best days are really ahead of him, then what a gem the gaffer may have stumbled upon.
To me, the jury is still out. He needs to work on his hold up play, dribbling and heading, as well as his proficiency in front of goal. I like his movement on and off the ball and his work rate though…
NYG, A while ago I would have agreed with you that the jury is still out.
But IMO the jury has now given their verdict; that he is GUILTY of being a top class and highly effective player.
A lot more to come, he’s almost there.
I have been screaming myself hoarse all along that Havertz’s best position is up front.
After watching him against Manchester City in the two early season games at Wembley for the Community Shield and the PL game at the Emirates, I wondered why it took Arteta so long to realise that truth.
But now he has and, suddenly the 65m “wasted” on the player is looking like a bargain.
Long may this continue please.
I wasn’t the biggest critic of Havertz but I didn’t see this form coming either. I think he still has to get to another level, and consistently too, before I systematically put him on the team sheet. That said, I prefer him to Jesus, but that shouldn’t be the benchmark. Havertz is coming good at the right time, may it long continue.
Havertz really struggled at the start with arteta complex system which takes tome to assimilate but the talent was always there. He just looked completely bereft of confidence and that would make even the greatest of players look bad.
He was also unjustly targeted by anti arteta whiners.
Well worth 60 million? LOL! A player valued at 60 million, the third most expensive in the club’s history, and current top earner should be one who elevates the performance of their teammates. Players like Odegaard, Partey, and Rice qualify for that price tag. We never go to a game expecting Havertz to win it for us. Aubameyang won us games, even when we were playing poorly at times. Ozil significantly improved the entire team. Alexis was dependable, regardless of the opponent. Furthermore, if we acquire a player like Gyokeres or a top striker next season, Havertz could end up on the bench. Consider this: the club’s top earner, valued at 65 million, warming the bench? Havertz was a poor investment unless he drastically improves. The biggest blame lies with those who were deceived by both Chelsea and Havertz, including his agent. Havertz also bears responsibility since he negotiated a value he hasn’t proven to be worth.
So Havertz didn’t win us both games against Brentford, among other vital contributions?
Bendtner did score the winning goals at times and made some vital contributions too. Any player can score the winning goal. That does not mean he won the team the game. Is Havertz expendable? definitely. Can we go on to win the title without him, sure. Can we say the same about Saka, Rice, Odegaard, Saliba, Gabriel? No. That’s the difference. Remember the article on players we absolutely need in the team, not even one person mentioned Havertz. He is therefore not worth being top earner or 60M. Him, his agent, and Chelsea fleeced us.
@SS
Real talk…👍🏾
Of course, I wish him all the best and hope he improves so that we don’t have such an expensive investment warming the bench week in week out, like we had with twilight Ozil and Aubameyang
Too many baseless conclusions in your argument, comparing Bendtner’s contributions in a lower cause such as making top 4 in a less competitive era of the premier league to that of Havertz’s title bid sums it up. Especially the fact you listed players who can “win us games” but we can’t expect such from Havertz, only to then contradict yourself by saying “any player can score the winning goal”.
I didn’t rate Havertz at all and wondered why Arteta had paid such a hefty £65 million for him. It’s good to be proved wrong and let’s hope he can raise his game even more. The team are really playing as a unit and we’ve every chance of winning a major trophy.
He is producing and a better optionup front than Jesus or Nketiah in my opinion.
Career high 9 PL goals is good for him, but we need more from a striker. Arsenal should still bring in a top striker and midfielder this Summer.
Havertz can play as an 8, 9, or 10 so he can still help us and depth is important in competing for trophies.
Am one of Harvertz main critics early in the season. Am impressed by the way he continues to disappoint me and some others by posting superlative performances every week. I just pray he sustains it. However, some section of the fan base should also be appreciated for making him be on his toes early in the season which helped him to buckle up and begin to do the needful.
Havertz contributes more than goals and thats why he starts for me. Lets look at Halaand, the goals have dried up and he offers nothing in terms of build up play unlike Kai. Just the pressing alone is massive for our style of play and the big german can run all day long. Furthermore the top scorer in the league is Halaand with 19 so 10 more than Havertz with 4 less assists. Let me add a Havertz who played left 8 for the majoirty of the games he has played in a new team and new system. I would also like to add where is the animosity towards Jesus who cant hit a barn door or Martinelli who has scored 3 goals all season?
Martinelli is 2 years younger and did not cost 70 million.
Jesus is another poor business just like Havertz.
I’m the current FFP/PSR climate that we’re in right now, price to performance ratio matters. Overpriced transfers like these have consequences and will eventually catch up to us and hinder our progress.
We’ll see how much funds we have available this summer, especially after we cough up another 30 mill for Raya’s mandatory clause Reich is another overpriced unnecessary transfer.
The problem with Havertz is not the performance, it’s the price tag and who else could be had at that price.
I’m not gonna say we could have signed Victor Boniface, I don’t think even Leverkusen knew he’s this good.
But surely for 60-70 mill we could have had Dani Olmo or Lois Openda, probably even Wirtz was doable at that stage.
Havetz just hasn’t been smart business is the real problem. Highly unlikely that he’ll retire at Arsenal, and highly unlikely that he’ll fetch any profit when sold. And he’s end product so far hasn’t been extraordinary, any of the players mentioned above could have performed at least on the same level and would have been much smarter business.
Not to mention our available funds this summer transfer window will be limited because we massively overpaid for Havertz.
P.S. all of the above also applies to Raya, just unnecessary and poor business
Totally disagree Rootkit. Havertz and Raya have been massive contributors to our improvement this season.
Strangely enough Mikel Arteta agrees with me….
There is no evidence to support that Raya has been better than Ramsdale,
And the same level of contribution from Havertz could have been found elsewhere by spending less money,
Is all I’m saying…
Not saying they’re bad players, just saying it’s not smart spending .
We already saw the consequences this past January window by not being able to spend.
so the answer to your question “Surely all Arsenal fans have changed their mind about Havertz” is sadly “no” based on the responses above
one dimensional ‘goals scored’ performance assessment misses the point, not just of Havertz but how Arteta is changing the game
many point to our attack improving since Dubai, but so has our defence (we lost after xmas due to conceding), and I think they are connected, and Havertz is a part of both
the intense high press by the Odegaard/Havertz pairing ahead of Rice/Jorginho pairing has been so effective since Dubai (Liverpool, Newcastle, Man C) that Saliba and Gabriel have often had nothing much to do, Raya could bring a deck-chair
our outstanding defence, and improvement since Dubai, has to be credited to Arteta’s plan and expert execution by versatile players like Havertz
the versatility point, some players are capable of playing a second position should it be required, e.g. White and Kiwior can play central defence or as a full back – Havertz takes this to a new level by playing 8, 10 and 9 in the same game! the obvious example is his role and position out-of-possession vs with-the-ball, expert at both it’s like two players for the price of one
aerial ability, by far the most aerial duels won and a genuine long ball outlet, giving Arteta/Raya options on the restart
tackles and interceptions
assists, two in two games
and all that before we get to goals
it is a shame there will always haters, still a strong contingent of Arteta haters which is quite astounding really, but at the same time says it all about them…
A lot of good points there 👍
None of the above points, even though they are true, justify paying almost 70 million, especially to a direct rival.
Inter paid nothing for Marcus Thuram,
Kephren Thuran would have costed half of what Havertz did,
Both of which would have done a similar job.
Again not saying Havertz is bad, the business was bad. We might come very close to winning the title this year, might even win it. But what about next year? And year after that?
We really need to spend smart to compete every year, not just a one off every ten years or so
I, for one am not convinced, in tough games Harvetz has been very poor. You cant pay that much for a guy who will struggle against big teams and only score easy goals. Porto,Bayern and the Newcastle games.
Havertz was excellent in the Liverpool, Newcastle and Man C games – that is without question
against Bayern last night it was the Odegaard / Havertz high press that led to a loose pass at the back that Havertz pounced on, turned it to White who teed up Saka’s goal – it was perfect execution of the high press strategy, and the perfect start
Havertz minutes later teed up White clear on goal, the shot was fierce but straight at the keeper, 2m either side and we are 2 up and cruising
it was rare defensive errors that cost us the game last night, not Havertz
haters will be haters i guess