Ever since his glamorous (and almost overhyped) move to Arsenal, Kai Havertz has set tongues wagging (or not, to begin with). His initial woes made many question why Mikel Arteta brought him on board, but lately, he seems to be improving.
Below, we’ll explore the career of Havertz at Arsenal and see if he is now justifying his price tag (£65 million).
A Difficult Start
The expectations were high upon his landing at Arsenal from Chelsea for a hefty £65 million. When people like football betting expert Greg Lea look at match-ups between teams, signings of this calibre should be what swings the tie one way or the other. The midfielder’s stay at Chelsea was full of ups and downs, with the occasional moments like that brilliant goal that won the Champions League; nevertheless, there were also long periods of inconsistency. And that’s precisely what happened at Arsenal – ups and downs.
Both the fans and pundits expressed their doubts, with the latter fuelled by his disappointing preseason performance – Havertz had a torrid time in the first few months at Arsenal. He was slotted into Granit Xhaka’s old No. 8 role in midfield, a position he had been eager to play.
But it didn’t quite happen as expected, as his performances didn’t impress anyone, including other players within the team. With just one goal and one assist from twelve Premier League matches played at the beginning of the season (one coming from a sympathetic penalty), criticism rained heavily, making people question whether Arsenal was for him.
Breaking Point Against Brighton
Everything changed during the match against Brighton.
It was an opportunity for Havertz to show off his versatility when he scored and assisted another goal. One thing that stood out in this match was Arteta becoming more assertive where some tactical decisions are concerned, particularly having allowed players who can influence games in various ways, like Havertz, which was a glimpse of what he envisaged.
Arteta spoke highly of how Havertz contributed towards their winning objectives against Brighton: “He’s certainly having a huge impact on the team,” said Arteta. “I think his overall performances have been really good, and now his numbers with goal contributions are high.”
Coping with Different Roles
A key challenge for Havertz was determining the best position for him on the field. While at Chelsea, he had been utilised as a forward player, midfielder, or even a winger without ever finding his comfort zone.
Arteta initially fielded him in midfield, hoping that his attacking instincts and ball control could help change Arsenal’s play pattern. This idea worked sometimes, but not always, and Arsenal required versatility within their ranks.
Gabriel Jesus’ injury didn’t help anything, nor did Nketiah, meaning Havertz was positioned as a striker. To everyone’s surprise, he seemed to thrive when playing this role. Consequently, he played seven consecutive games as a forward, where he showed great ability to win flick-ons, get onto the end of crosses, and make intelligent runs behind defenders – something that provided some freshness to Arsenal’s attack.
Silence Critics with Performances
His performance against Brentford, where he scored a crucial late winner, showed his growing confidence and adaptation to Arteta’s tactical demands – something he clearly doesn’t like to begin with. As an attacking midfielder, Havertz created overloads while making late progressive runs into the box, showcasing his flexibility.
Arteta’s public praise for Havertz following the Brentford game was revealing. ‘If things were easy, then he wouldn’t have gotten the reception he got today with everybody hugging him and telling him how much we love him,’ said Arteta.
There’s a reason behind all that – he does in tough situations. He leads by example, showing fellow teammates how to act when they’re in trouble.
Still, some people were sceptical about long-term performance.
The Journey Ahead
Arsenal’s season hasn’t been smooth, with highs or lows that aren’t all Havertz’s fault. Still, you can’t argue it hasn’t finished on a high. Despite not being consistently in their best form, they still find themselves in a strong position in the Premier League for next year, coming 2nd only just beaten by Manchester City. Some improvement by Havertz has contributed to this, but there’s still room for growth among other players.
There is much speculation about who will fill spaces next year, with names like Ivan Toney, Dusan Vlahovic, and Ferdi Kadıoğlu cropping up now and then. Yet, some of the pressure has eased off due to his recent performance, which promotes his capability of playing different roles.
Kai Havertz’s time at Arsenal hasn’t been an easy ride – you have to feel a little sorry for him. His struggles and widespread criticism almost put him on the bench – but now he’s showing the resilience and adaptability Arteta wanted from him.
But do you think Arteta’s trust in Havertz seems to be paying off? They’ve finished second in the league, so you can’t argue too much that he didn’t make an impact. It’s a shame his start to the season was as poor as it was.