Kai Havertz: Kais and Lows

[North5]

Him, Gyok and Eze compliment each other very very well

 

[Clrnc]

The injury did him the world of good. Starting to see shades of the number 10 Kai Havertz of Bayer Leverkusen.

He enjoys playing with a striker so much more than being the striker himself.

 

[Bagels]

A lot can be said about this guy, but no one can take away that he is an exceptionally intelligent footballer. Understands space and movement so well.

 

[MikelHadADream]

Automatic starter isn’t he?

Makes everyone better around him, sign of a very good player.

 

[blaze_of_glory]

Such a unique player. Often seems like he's not imposing himself but he's always influencing the game with his movement and then gets involved in key moments.

 

[Trilly]

I don’t mind trying the Havertz in MF experiment again.

He was initially bought to use that ‘spare’ midfielder role to boost our attacking potential and from Mikel’s comments it still seems like he still wants one of our AMs to basically be an extra forward.

Kai upfront is more of the same, Kai (or Eze) alongside another forward could be the fix for our attacking issues.

This is exactly what Mikel wanted back when he signed Rice and I think this role was his solution to the low blocks we’d face.

A midfield platform so stable that you can get away with basically playing a forward in midfield. It made so much sense on paper at the time (which is why I backed the signing) but his adaptation period was so bad it looked like the experiment was over.

Just goes to show that you have to give players time to adapt, even when they come from the same league (cough Eze cough). Also confirms what Mikel wants from his attacking mid (scary hours for Ode and confirms that we weren’t just scapegoating him) and is also a good thing for Gyok (I think that’s 7 GA in 8 games now or something) who’s finally getting the service we thought he’d be getting when we signed him.

And this is all made possible by the elite platform of Rice-Zubi. Gotta love the intricacies of football sometimes.

 

[Trilly]

He enjoys playing with a striker so much more than being the striker himself.

I see the guys who wanted Kai to end Gyok’s career pivoting nicely

This role is what’s best for Kai, the solution isn’t to play him upfront week in week out.

 

[Tourbillion]

Yep, I can definitely see Arteta's original vision for the midfield now. And I kinda like it.

 

[MauveGunner]

While still a bit rusty and needs some match fitness, he's doing pretty well.

 

[Blood on the Tracks]

I thought he played well today. Thought the curler first half was going in.

Ideally I'd like him pushed up almost to pair with Gyokeres. Even in the limited time we've seen them together you can tell there's some chemistry and understanding there.

Need him to stay fit for the rest of the season, that's my only worry because he's looked pretty sharp so far.

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

That 2nd goal i don't see another player do that in our squad he attacked the open space didn't panic in box.

Overall nice game from him another 65 minutes into his season

 

[PrinzPoldi]

He has a pretty good partnership with Gyokeres so far.

 

[Clrnc]

I see the guys who wanted Kai to end Gyok’s career pivoting nicely

This role is what’s best for Kai, the solution isn’t to play him upfront week in week out.

Yep.

It bodes incredibly well for us (if Arteta can get the best out of them) that 2 of Havertz best ever season still remains his Leverkusen days, where he played off Lucas Alario as a space finder 10.

Ironically, Alario plays pretty similarly to Gyokeres, always trying to run in behind and battle tight marking defenders.

If we can get Kai to fire like he did there, it would actually be more important for us than getting Gyokeres to score 20 goals etc. Kai was unreal those days.

 

[Batman]

His movement is by far his best asset. He's a very smart player. He won a lot of duels today as well to keep things alive or relieve pressure and he compliments Gyok extremely well. It could well be that this is the best version of Havertz, a guy with the freedom to operate under the striker and pick up dangerous spaces to provide the final ball rather than score himself.

 

[grange]

Arguably Arsenal's most important player in history right now considering the timing.

 

[Trilly]

Yep, I can definitely see Arteta's original vision for the midfield now. And I kinda like it.

Yep it’s Kai Eze Ode in that order imo. In Mikel’s head it’s probably Kai Ode Eze but I think Eze will be a late bloomer in this team, might not be next season till we see him pushing to be the starting 10.

As for Ode I think we need to start thinking of as the second most attacking midfielder in the lineup and use him as a way to rest Zubi on occasion.

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

I was never a fan but he has returned totally reinvigorated in a system that actually plays to his strengths. If he can play as he has, stay fit and keep up or improve his numbers, then we have a chance of greatness this season. I want this Chelsea reject to win it all with us this season.

 

[viktor]

 

[OnlyOne]

The injury did him the world of good. Starting to see shades of the number 10 Kai Havertz of Bayer Leverkusen.

He enjoys playing with a striker so much more than being the striker himself.

No it didn’t, come on

 

[viktor]

His movement is by far his best asset. He's a very smart player. He won a lot of duels today as well to keep things alive or relieve pressure and he compliments Gyok extremely well. It could well be that this is the best version of Havertz, a guy with the freedom to operate under the striker and pick up dangerous spaces to provide the final ball rather than score himself.

i love this post, sum up perfectly especially when talk about his movement when off the ball in final third