On May 12, Beijing time, Arsenal defeated Manchester United 1-0 away. Kai Havertz was brilliant in the game, making two crucial passes, including a crucial assist for Trossard's goal.
Kai Havertz has undoubtedly gone from strength to strength. Last month, the German scored a brace to send his former club Chelsea to Arsenal's biggest loss in the history of his city rivals, Kai Havertz's current club, with a score of 5-0; On Sunday, Kai Havertz set up Leandro Trossard to secure Arsenal's ongoing battle with Manchester City for the league title. Kai Havertz has now become a key player for Arsenal, with the German scoring 14 goals in his last 13 matches.
While there were doubts when he arrived at Arsenal from Chelsea for €75 million last summer, Kai Havertz is now undoubtedly the best example of "people moving around". 'Havertz was in a difficult situation when he first arrived at Arsenal,' said Litmore, UK content manager at De To, 'and there was a lot of pressure on him, mainly because he was signed by Chelsea's arch-rivals Arsenal, and there were a lot of people at Arsenal who felt it was a loss-making deal. In the early days, Havertz was very unselfish in the game and could pull up space for his team-mates, but he seemed to be nervous about the ball and always gave up on the final kick. ”
If Arsenal can win the title this season, Kai Havertz is undoubtedly a big contributor to the team. After failing to score in his first six league games in the Gunners' shirt and relying on penalties conceded by Bukayo Saka and Odegaard, Kai Havertz netted 11 goals in the league since then. Havertz has scored eight goals and six assists in 13 games since February, creating a combined total of 14 goals, and only the Blues' thigh-of-the-t Palmer have done better in that time.
The German's radiant performance against his former club last month was a good example of his recent progress. Kai Havertz will forever be linked with Chelsea as he scored the decisive goal against Manchester City in the Champions League final, but he has never realised his full talent since moving to Stamford Bridge from Pharma. At Chelsea, his versatility has often become his weakness as he is constantly swapped and not given enough time to settle into a role. And while Arteta has also used Havertz in different roles in recent months, his role as a centre-forward has given him more freedom. Arteta was full of praise for the German player: "I must say that Kai Havertz's overall contribution at all stages of the game has been huge. ”
Kai Havertz played 45 games in his first season at Chelsea, scoring nine goals and providing six assists; He has 13 goals and seven assists for Arsenal so far and is likely to extend that tally to the table against Everton in the final round after his recent hot form.
So what has changed at Havertz at Arsenal? 'Havertz has been used mainly as an attacking fulcrum for Arsenal since Gabriel Jesus' injury in January and his performances have been improving lately,' said Littmore. At the same time, this kind of running can also create space for Saka and Odegaard. Havertz's versatility in the number eight or number 10 positions up front or on the left has made him crucial for Arteta this season. ”
This versatility has not always worked in Havertz's favour. Kai Havertz had his best season in 2018/19, scoring 17 goals and providing four assists in 34 Bundesliga games for Bayer Leverkusen. That season, Havertz was primarily the playmaker behind the traditional number nine, flanked by traditional wingers. After joining Chelsea, Kai Havertz began to look for his best fit. But it's true that coaches barely know how to use Havertz, whether for club or country. The data back this up. Havertz has made 167 appearances as an attacking midfielder throughout his club career, scoring 36 goals and providing 29 assists; Played 85 games as a center forward, scoring 33 goals and 10 assists; Played 52 games as a right winger, scoring 18 goals and providing 11 assists; Played 24 games as a central midfielder, scoring four goals and providing one assist; 7 games as a left-wing striker, 1 assist; He also played as a right midfielder in one game.
The lack of a clear positioning meant that Havertz never seemed to live up to the potential that would make him the most popular player in the European football market after making his mark for Bayer Leverkusen as a teenager. But the evidence may suggest that this may now eventually change, and in fact, it's important to remember that Havertz is only 24 years old.
In other words, Havertz is no longer at the heart of the organisation as he was at Bayer Leverkusen at the start of his career. Today's Havertz seems more robust and more direct. What's more, Kai Havertz appears to be more influential in the air, which is crucial if he wants to survive the physical confrontation of Premier League defenders. It also means Arteta now trusts Kai Havertz to lead the attacking line, which in turn means Havertz has finalised the role of a no.9. Due to the long-term lack of strikers in German football, Kai Havertz is often the starting IX for Arsenal and could also give Havertz an edge ahead of Euro 2024.