Kai Havertz: RNein

[El Duderino]

A good footballer with some excellent traits who is no longer a midfielder after his bizarre late growth spurt, but sometimes thinks like a midfielder when played up top. Which is some situations is great, and in others is incredibly frustrating.

For our aspirational level, his ideal role is as a flexible rotation player, but it will probably take a £75-100m transfer to make that happen

On his wages, though, is it really worth it? IIRC he's the largest wages on the squad, maybe 2nd after Saka?

If he moved, the transfer fee + wages saved alone could cover someone who could win headers up top and scores the odd goal.

Midfield wise, Merino, Rice and whoever we bring for Partey/Jorginho's role in the squad should be able to have about the same impact Kai does.

We've done a gone job rehabilitating him, so I reckon there could be enough suitors to get some of our money back, but paying +200k a week for the german Crouch (hyperbole) seems a bit too much.

 

[Batman]

Ultimately he's been in poor form and has to own up to it. I'm not making excuses for him but it seems like since it was reported that he was dealing with a knee issue around the time of the international break that even the things he does consistently well such as winning duels are not coming happening. It could be a similar situation to White where he's playing through something. That still doesn't excuse his inability to finish chances he should be finishing convincingly but it may explain the surprising drop off in the areas of the game he previously excelled at.

 

[A_G]

Yeah Havertz is much closer to a traditional target man than he would be Firmino.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1866396506636583255

 

[Rasmi]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1866396506636583255

Basically means the moment we get a goal scoring lw he will help us carry havertz. And he can hide as usual. Never seen a fan base be so obsessed with players unlocking others. A LCM was supposed to unlock our LW and now a LW will unlock our ST.

 

[Fewtch]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1866396506636583255

I think he's much closer to Marouane Chamakh than any version of Firmino tbh

 

[Trilly]

Basically means the moment we get a goal scoring lw he will help us carry havertz. And he can hide as usual. Never seen a fan base be so obsessed with players unlocking others. A LCM was supposed to unlock our LW and now a LW will unlock our ST.

All to unlock the manager

 

[Rasmi]

I think he's much closer to Marouane Chamakh than any version of Firmino tbh

If he didn’t have the rep as wonderkid and reputation of being a technician. Chamakh would be perfect comparison. But our fans will never accept we spent 67 million on Chamakh.

 

[Fewtch]

If he didn’t have the rep as wonderkid and reputation of being a technician. Chamakh would be perfect comparison. But our fans will never accept we spent 67 million on Chamakh.

If you mirrored this video so it looks like he is shooting with his left you'd swear this is Havertz. This guy used to be back up to RVP and now we're trying to win the league with his regen.

 

[fute]

All to unlock the manager

 

[High Elbow]

Would such perfomances and output be good enough for arteta if it was nketiah? Probably not..and that's part of the problem with arteta

 

[fute]

Would such perfomances and output be good enough for arteta if it was nketiah? Probably not..and that's part of the problem with arteta

Actually it was. He kept playing Eddie despite his struggles and people didn't like it. Jesus was there too and wasn't scoring a lot either. When Kai went on his run last year at the 9, then Eddie stopped playing as much and Jesus was reduced to the bench once he came back from injury.

The problem is Kai is the only option at the 9 we have, unless you want to put Tross there which he has in the past. Jesus is pretty much done and was never prolific while here anyway.

We are stuck with Kai. The scary part is, he wasn't even signed by Arteta to even play 9. He was intended to play the 8 which failed, so now Rice is there which isn't great either. Makes as much sense as Partey at RB and Tross at the 10. All because Ødegaard or Zinny/Calafiori is out.

 

[High Elbow]

Actually it was. He kept playing Eddie despite his struggles and people didn't like it. Jesus was there too and wasn't scoring a lot either. When Kai went on his run last year at the 9, then Eddie stopped playing as much and Jesus was reduced to the bench once he came back from injury.

The problem is Kai is the only option at the 9 we have, unless you want to put Tross there which he has in the past. Jesus is pretty much done and was never prolific while here anyway.

We are stuck with Kai. The scary part is, he wasn't even signed by Arteta to even play 9. He was intended to play the 8 which failed, so now Rice is there which isn't great either. Makes as much sense as Partey at RB and Tross at the 10. All because Ødegaard or Zinny/Calafiori is out.

Don't think arteta ever viewed Nketiah as anything more than a squad option. He was only ever filling in until jesus got up to speed or we got another striker. That striker turned out to be Kai..

 

[Bloodbather]

I can be more succinct than that tbh.

Question: Was Kai worth it?

Answer: No.

I think everyone, including people who rate him like myself, recognizes that we overpaid to get him and could've done better for the price. I also expected a tactical change into a more fluid attack with Ode and Havertz being roaming AMs when we got him but it never happened, it only started working when we shoehorned him into being a #9.

 

[db10_therza]

I think everyone, including people who rate him like myself, recognizes that we overpaid to get him and could've done better for the price. I also expected a tactical change into a more fluid attack with Ode and Havertz being roaming AMs when we got him but it never happened, it only started working when we shoehorned him into being a #9.

I should clarify I don’t think he’s a bad player and he’s better than what a lot of people here make out. But he’s not worth what we paid for him.

 

[OnlyOne]

This guy simultaneously blocked us from signing a top CM and top CF because he cost £80M sucked at CM and looked decent at CF.

I’m gutted.

 

[Riou]

I will still never understand what made Mikel want to sign him, tbh.

He was poor for Chelsea really and hadn't played as a midfielder for ages, yet we are prepared to drop £65 million on him and make him our star 8 after clearing Chelsea in the league in 2023...just bizarro world this transfer.

He's a good player, but he's so boring individually...he's like that perfectly average man in that Futurama episode lol, Kai sum up how unique your talent level is...



...the fact that the majority of CFs kinda play like this now is so depressing for the sport!

 

[Jasard]

This guy simultaneously blocked us from signing a top CM and top CF because he cost £80M sucked at CM and looked decent at CF.

I’m gutted.

Cost so much he probably put the brakes on the KSE funding too

 

[Jasard]

I should clarify I don’t think he’s a bad player and he’s better than what a lot of people here make out. But he’s not worth what we paid for him.

What do you think would have been a fair price to give Chelsea?

 

[HollandGooner]

Basically means the moment we get a goal scoring lw he will help us carry havertz. And he can hide as usual. Never seen a fan base be so obsessed with players unlocking others. A LCM was supposed to unlock our LW and now a LW will unlock our ST.

This article is an insult to Firmino.

 

[db10_therza]

What do you think would have been a fair price to give Chelsea?

I think £50m would have been acceptable for me. I’m aware that others here would want less but as said I rate him higher than most.

For where we want to be as a club I think £50m is the right amount for a squad player and that’s what I see him as - a squad player who can fill in multiple positions in the attacking third.