Pundits has praised Kai Havertz after he scored in six straight game for Arsenal this season. Arsenal fans have a catchy tune these days: “I heard Tsamina mina, eh, eh, waka waka, eh, eh, 60, 60 million down the drain, Kai Havertz scores again.” Sure enough, Havertz has gone about silencing doubters through some impressive performances. A resurgence was highlighted by his recent brace against his former club Chelsea, a 5-0 win. But how did we get here?
Havertz left Chelsea after three years at Stamford Bridge with 32 goals and 12 assists in 139 appearances. They were interspersed with inconsistency, but they included memorable moments for him, his game-winning goals in the 2021 Champions League final and the 2022 Club World Cup final. The question lingered: What was his best position?
Arsenal’s willingness to spend more than £65 million on him raised eyebrows. It wasn’t immediately clear what his fit was. Was he Chelsea’s number nine, or the number 10 where he shone in Germany? Arteta had other plans, calling on Havertz to bridge the gap between Granit Xhaka on the left side of midfield. Speaking on The Rest is Football podcast, Allan Sherar praised Havertz
Kai Havertz in form of his life
Havertz’s Arsenal career hadn’t got off to the smoothest of starts. In midfield, he was left-sided but prone to hesitancy on the ball. Rival fans had labelled him a bust. His first 12 Premier League games brought him one goal: a penalty against Bournemouth. Arteta, however, kept faith in Havertz’s potential.
Havertz slowly began to find his groove. His touch map revealed versatility: They drop deep to initiate attacks, drift wide and are clinical in the box. Arteta’s use of Havertz as a midfield forward and box-arriving forward showed the best in him. He did so efficiently with fewer touches and shots per game.
The story they tell in the stats is compelling. Havertz shoots much more and scores more from those shots on target. It goes beyond just numbers and is his actions, whatever it’s about: timing, space, work ethic. Arsenal’s expensive gamble now looks like a master stroke.
Recovering brilliantly from a poor start, Arsenal star Kai Havertz epitomizes brilliant management. Arteta’s man management and tactical acumen transformed a struggling player into the player nobody could afford to sit out. Havertz’s road reminds us that when things are shaky and have come to despair, you can never say it’s over as the catchy tune rattles around Emirates Stadium.
Rightly, Martin Odegaard notes that Havertz’s transformation can’t be strictly defined by physical strength, it was the mental road taken. The German’s bedrock has been his commitment to improvement. He spends day in and day out training sessions, trying to be better. But having a strong mentality means he’s able to put up with storms, learn from setbacks and come out stronger. Arsenal fans watch not a player, but a serial seeker of progress.
Chelsea might regret selling him
It has been like a tactical revelation for Havertz as he was shifted to a more advanced role. He’s found a comfortable position from a midfielder a little deeper to a forward or a hybrid role. He plays as their number 10 or a centre forward, and you have to dribble past people.
And he’s creative, and he scores. Arsenal play through his versatility — how he threads through balls or competes with fierce abandon in a duel — that makes him more than the simple dribbling attacker he is. Havertz’s popularity has reached sublime heights in the Emirates, and Arteta’s acumen in promoting the man from Germany has also been rewarded in abundance.
Havertz’s sanctuary has turned out to be North London. He’s completely enjoyed being here because of Arsenal ethos—the style of play, the way he interacts with his teammates and the fan base. The transition wasn’t quick, it took moments before goals would evade him. The Gunners rallied around him, though, because the gem was there. Now, he glides across the Emirates turf, feeling he is at home. He loves the cheers, the colours, the badge. Havertz is more than a player, he is part of the Arsenal family.
The astute football analyst Jamie Carragher likens Havertz to Roberto Firmino. Havertz’s off-the-ball movement is transformative, just like Firmino at Liverpool. He doesn’t just wait for a chance, he defines his own. The tracking data shows on how tirelessly he covered ground—more than many central strikers. Havertz niggles at other teams, gets up close and sets his early pace. His work ethic mirrors the team ethos at Arsenal – a team that will fight for every inch or piece of grass.
A trusted source on GoonerNews.com
For more football updates, make sure to follow us on:
