Kai Havertz: No More Mr Nice Kai

[Heavy Duty Rom]

I don’t understand how people can call him slow, he is absolutely rapid.

 

[TheEliteMaster100_]

We replaced this jugador with a makeshift 9 and shoehorned him in midfield


@BergMan @albakos

At-least our Albanian don got the last laugh with a title

All we had to do was find a simple midfielder who can replicate Xhaka's progression of the ball and other attributes that Xhaka didn't posses like dribbling in tight spaces but we screwed that up.

 

[Rasmi]

We replaced this jugador with a makeshift 9 and shoehorned him in midfield


@BergMan @albakos

At-least our Albanian don got the last laugh with a title

All we had to do was find a simple midfielder who can replicate Xhaka's progression of the ball and other attributes that Xhaka didn't posses like dribbling in tight spaces but we screwed that up.

He is better than Rice

 

[TheEliteMaster100_]

He is better than Rice

Easily, Rice playing 8 is good against plodder teams but against the big boys and in Europe it does not work and as a lone 6 he doesn't possess the on ball quality like Jorginho and Partey when it comes to build up, line breaking passes and passing variations...

Only hope for Rice is to play him in a Pivot in a 4-2-3-1 and sign an elite creative midfielder to mask his deficiencies.

I feel for Ødegaard having to do all the creative work when paired with Havertz and Rice in midfield. Has to drop deep between the cb's, buildup deep, try to feed Saka, lead the press, crash into the box since he's our best finisher along Trossard, an all phase midfielder, etc..

£105m for a player only good for interceptions and tackling...

 

[2Smokeyy]

I don’t understand how people can call him slow, he is absolutely rapid.

Rapid is a stretch lol but let’s say he evades the last line of defence then do you really trust him to keep the ball steadily infront of him, have a cushioned touch or bury his chance with the keeper coming towards him?

I would say no to all the above

 

[Heavy Duty Rom]

Rapid is a stretch lol but let’s say he evades the last line of defence then do you really trust him to keep the ball steadily infront of him, have a cushioned touch or bury his chance with the keeper coming towards him?

I would say no to all the above

No, I wouldn’t, that is what he lacks - Conviction. But slow is one thing he isn’t.

 

[2Smokeyy]

No, I wouldn’t, that is what he lacks - Conviction. But slow is one thing he isn’t.

I don’t want to be knee jerk or anything but if we’re scrapping this idea of him in the 8 role as it doesn’t work then I’m sure there were other options that could have provided a better return at CF than him.

Versatility was what was being sold to the naysayers on here but I’m sure the majority have now come to the conclusion that he’ll only work in the CF position in our system.

 

[MutableEarth]

I don’t want to be knee jerk or anything but if we’re scrapping this idea of him in the 8 role as it doesn’t work then I’m sure there were other options that could have provided a better return at CF than him.

Versatility was what was being sold to the naysayers on here but I’m sure the majority have now come to the conclusion that he’ll only work in the CF position in our system.

As redundant as the debate about him being an Arsenal player is to begin with, I'm inclined to agree. There's a (very) limited amount of games where I'd like to see him in midfield and he's managed to eek out a decent season playing upfront for us. That run of games where we were beating everybody by 3+ goals is one of the best runs I've seen us go on in years and Havertz started all those games. That doesn't mean, however, we should rest on our laurels with Havertz. Fair play to him, he's actually become a genuinely decent attacker for us but he is not indispensable and eventually he will be usurped.

 

[Heavy Duty Rom]

I don’t want to be knee jerk or anything but if we’re scrapping this idea of him in the 8 role as it doesn’t work then I’m sure there were other options that could have provided a better return at CF than him.

Versatility was what was being sold to the naysayers on here but I’m sure the majority have now come to the conclusion that he’ll only work in the CF position in our system.

Tbf, not many really expected Jesus and Martinelli to drop off as much as they have this season. I didn’t mind the Havertz signing as he provided depth to the attack.

I still don’t mind him, in fact I quite like what he offers as a 9. The thing we need to solve is if he plays 9, we need a world class winger and a top LCM.

 

[2Smokeyy]

Tbf, not many really expected Jesus and Martinelli to drop off as much as they have this season. I didn’t mind the Havertz signing as he provided depth to the attack.

I still don’t mind him, in fact I quite like what he offers as a 9. The thing we need to solve is if he plays 9, we need a world class winger and a top LCM.

I honestly don’t think he’s worth the hassle of building a system around him as you’re suggesting. I know it may sound unrealistic to get all four but a CF with more than the 9 PL goals he’s provided, wide option, LCM and LB could have all been done across last summer and this upcoming one if we were really serious.

We’ve got him now and splashed out £67m in doing so therefore I guess we just have to do with what we have.

 

[Macho]

He is better than Rice

lol you wanna go there?

Xhaka is defo the more cultured passer but Rice has the legs. Would be an easier comparison if Rice was late twenties/early thirties but I feel Arsenal will improve him.

 

[Heavy Duty Rom]

I honestly don’t think he’s worth the hassle of building a system around him as you’re suggesting. I know it may sound unrealistic to get all four but a CF with more than the 9 PL goals he’s provided, wide option, LCM and LB could have all been done across last summer and this upcoming one if we were really serious.

We’ve got him now and splashed out £67m in doing so therefore I guess we just have to do with what we have.

It’s just Arteta and Arsenal all over isn’t it? Always leaving us short in the market. He hasn’t used funds well, just look at Vieira ffs, we could have got Olise for 8m. Players like Bruno G and Isak seemed like obvious transfers before their move to Newcastle.

For me, I know signing a striker will mean Arteta will shoehorn Havertz in at LCM. He just will. That’s why I am more keen on getting an elite winger and LCM as I think that will have more of an impact on the team.

I’d actually be tempted to cash in on Jesus to make room for another striker.

 

[albakos]

We replaced this jugador with a makeshift 9 and shoehorned him in midfield


@BergMan @albakos

At-least our Albanian don got the last laugh with a title

All we had to do was find a simple midfielder who can replicate Xhaka's progression of the ball and other attributes that Xhaka didn't posses like dribbling in tight spaces but we screwed that up.

We didn't even have to replace him, as we wasted and dropped too many points while trying to improvise with Havertz as an 8.

A position that Arteta bought him for and too stubborn to shift him until injuries kicked in and it eventually became evident that Havertz as an 8 was a wasted spending.

Apparently, Granit was open to staying but Arteta refused to give him a longer deal, so then Leverkusen swooped in with a 5 year deal.

Guess who's the real loser now?

A midfield of Ode-Rice and Xhaka is 1000% better than Ode-Rice and Jorginho/Havertz/drunk Partey. The former would definitely help us gain more points this season and we wouldn't be dropping all of those silly points in 1st halfseason while insisting with Havertz as an 8.

 

[Rasmi]

lol you wanna go there?

Xhaka is defo the more cultured passer but Rice has the legs. Would be an easier comparison if Rice was late twenties/early thirties but I feel Arsenal will improve him.

He is naturally more talented footballer though. I been saying for the longest Rice is a Deschamps basically. It’s just that he plays in an era where grafters are more appreciated than ever and ball players less appreciated than ever.

Funny enough Havertz is the perfect example. People constantly talking about link up, press, hard work and freaking defensive headers. He is a freaking striker and they want to talk about everything other than goals.

 

[Macho]

He is naturally more talented footballer though. I been saying for the longest Rice is a Deschamps basically. It’s just that he plays in an era where grafters are more appreciated than ever and ball players less appreciated than ever.

Funny enough Havertz is the perfect example. People constantly talking about link up, press, hard work and freaking defensive headers. He is a freaking striker and they want to talk about everything other than goals.

Yeah this is all true.

 

[RunTheTrap]

For me, I know signing a striker will mean Arteta will shoehorn Havertz in at LCM. He just will. That’s why I am more keen on getting an elite winger and LCM as I think that will have more of an impact on the team.

This is what terrifies me the most about the summer window. I can see us splashing big money on a CF and Havertz will continue to underwhelm in midfield, which leads to our big-money striker also underwhelming. We all know that Arteta's system is dependent on everyone being on song. Otherwise, you get problems like our left side being completely useless.

 

[Makingtrax]

Funny enough Havertz is the perfect example. People constantly talking about link up, press, hard work and freaking defensive headers. He is a freaking striker and they want to talk about everything other than goals.

Preach brother.

 

[BBF]

The Xhaka talk is exhausting. This guy would still be a weak link here. Should have got a better player in to upgrade on him but we didn't. Shoulda, coulda, didn't.

 

[BaZZe]

The Xhaka talk is exhausting. This guy would still be a weak link here. Should have got a better player in to upgrade on him but we didn't. Shoulda, coulda, didn't.

A lot of posters just saying anything for reactions after Sunday. Not only here but in the Rice thread, Saka thread, the Race for thread etc.

 

[shoot for the top]

A lot of posters just saying anything for reactions after Sunday. Not only here but in the Rice thread, Saka thread, the Race for thread etc.

No, it has been said here since the beginning of the season that we should have brought in a real striker. I doubt even Havertz know where his best position is.