Arsenal bounced back to winning ways on Wednesday night. Thus, securing a 2-0 victory over Sevilla at the Emirates on matchday four of the Champions League group stages. That is under the watchful eye of manager Mikel Arteta.
The victory against Sevilla was a much-needed one for the Gunners, coming after a challenging week in both the Premier League and Carabao Cup. Arsenal had experienced back-to-back defeats to West Ham United and Newcastle United during this period.
Arsenal’s unbeaten record in the Premier League was intact until matchday 11. However, it has been a challenging start to the campaign for Mikel Arteta’s squad. The team has encountered numerous injury issues, affecting the depth available in the squad.
In the absence of key players such as Gabriel Jesus, Martin Odegaard, Thomas Partey during last night’s match, Mikel Arteta faced a selection headache. To address the depleted squad, two academy hopefuls were called upon to fill the void.
Arsenal manager is suffering with lack of options
In addition to the injury issues, Mikel Arteta has had to contend with lackluster performances from certain members of the team. The £65 million summer signing of Kai Havertz has proven to be underwhelming. Thus, adding to the challenges faced by the manager.
Acquired from Chelsea in the summer transfer window, Arteta made the surprising decision to bring Kai Havertz into the squad. Despite the player’s below average display at Chelsea.
After a three-year stint at Stamford Bridge, the 24-year-old departed having scored 15 goals in 139 appearances. An unsatisfactory record compared to his form at Bayer Leverkusen prior to joining Chelsea. During his time at Bayer Leverkusen, Havertz netted 46 goals in 150 appearances, despite playing way deeper.
After the game last night, journalist Kaya Kaynak praised Kai Havertz for his growth in confidence. However, with the player making the £65 million move across London, there are worries suggesting that praising confidence after three months may not be sufficient to justify his price tag and presence in the squad.
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