Arsenal's Kai Havertz has always been on the face of it, especially from rival fans and sometimes the media. An example was an American commentator calling him rubbish during Arsenal's friendly match against Manchester United.
He has been accused of an underwhelming performance since his move to Chelsea. However, environment matters in football.
For most Arsenal fans I'm sure it came as a surprise when Havertz got on Arteta's radar . I mean the question will always be
is Arteta going to utilise Havertz in a system that will allow him to flourish?
For a fact Fans and coaches worldwide consistently debate the profile and quality of Kai Havertz. Some say he's a #9, a #10, or an #8.
He himself says he likes to play between the lines, regardless of the label of a position, and have freedom to attack the box from deep.
Havertz' gameplay clearly reminds me of Thomas Müller who is similar in profile to Havertz. They are both creative, but they don't dictate attacks. They are both goalscorers, but they are not natural #9's.
The German is more or less like a space invader . He is a kind of attacking minded player who roams and attacks space. Players with this kind of ability are not the primary goalscorer or the primary creator but always find a way into the XI of top teams.
His ability for goal poaching and finding himself at the right position has been clearly evident so far in our pre- season friendlies. He has backed two goals so far with his latest against Barcelona.
Havertz likes to operate between the lines. However, because he's not an all-action creator like Bruno Fernandes or KDB as he focuses on simple actions. He is accustomed to dropping deep, making himself available for the ball, retains it, and creates space for other offensive players to attack.
The simple act of offering vertical progression by being an option between the lines is something that cannot be undervalued or underestimated in terms of importance.
It is the most difficult zone in football to retain possession in due to the pressure exerted on the receiver.
Havertz, though, is good at showing for the ball and retaining possession in these moments.
However, he can be dispossessed on occasion due to the fact that he's quite tall and slim which means defenders can unbalance him more easily than a nimble #10.
This is a flaw in his game that needs to be ironed out, but receiving between the lines is something that Havertz can absolutely do to a top standard.
His emphasis on retaining possession is also one that massively benefits his team and himself even if may be considered cautious..
Havertz does have the quality to play final balls such as a wide or a half space cross, but ball-striking isn't his forté. He can score some devastating goals, but he's not elite at it akin to the very best #10 and very best #9's.
So, when considering that ball-striking frailty in his game relative to creating and scoring, his preference to retain is optimal.For a possession-based team like Arsenal, much of their philosophy is centred around control of games with the ball.Havertz further enables that.
Then, relative to his own self-benefit, the more Arsenal sustain attacks, the more he can attack the box from deep, the more he can stay between the lines, and the more he can combine and interchange with others high up the pitch.That is where Havertz' output will come from.
There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Havertz will score and create goals for Arsenal because of the teams ability to sustain pressure but also his own profile and quality which further aids the team's trait and threat ..
Consistency is key , will he be consistent with his form in the coming epl season? is a million dollar question one can't wait for it to be answered.