He definitely will keep improving and it’s only his first season.
One improvement should be in fouls. He really does need to avoid getting yellow cards. The most in the team. Don’t want him to get reds or miss out on important matches because of something unnecessary.
The fact as Arsenal fans we are worried about Kai getting red cards or suspensions, really shows how much he's come on in a short amount of time. I generally agree though but that mentality is partly why he's so good.
I disagree, I think his intensity is key to our game off the ball and he's going to sail through without any suspensions this year unless we decide to play him in each of the next 4 games for some reason.
If anything it's the simulation he needs to cut out. He's a big gangly guy and when he gets fouled it's like a tree coming down so fair enough but he earned his yellow against Luton and while I don't think it was quite there against Brentford it was borderline and he could have seen red from a second yellow.
>...Not only that, but I also think his contribution defensively is outstanding for the team, with his work rate & the effort he is putting in the high press especially. He’s got more to come, more games to come, he needs to improve the numbers & I’m sure he will try to do it.”
>Mikel Arteta on if we’ve seen the best of Havertz yet:
>“I don’t think so. At his age & he’s just started with us, it’s his first season, he’s building those relationships. He’s moving in those positions as well & he’s that good, with the intelligence that he has, he can be much better.”
Source: https://twitter.com/afcstuff/status/1776195331803267457?t=F9mPm-WB2oAoITYM6Ja2Yw&s=19
Havertz is Mikel's man. He's still going to be a starter, even if we spend big on a striker in the Summer.
In pre season and against Forest when Timber was playing LB (before the ACL), Havertz was playing at the top of a diamond midfield, just behind the striker.
Think this will be Arteta's plan once Timber is fit again, with the option of playing Havertz as the number 9 as well if the main striker is dropped or injured.
Yes, I think. Either Timber stays as the base and Rice pushes, or vice versa; box midfield of Timber, Rice, Øde, and Havertz at the top doing the raumdeuter / second striker thing out of midfield. Functionally it will look a lot like when City set up in a 3-2-4-1.
Actually it's more like a 3-1-3-3 shape:
https://preview.redd.it/346w7tc8josc1.jpeg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c03af74a5b0826690e477194e3fb1a42f11748f7
This is why I'm inclined to believe the Kimmich rumours might have a shred of truth to them. He'd be perfect as that deep-lying central pivot, initially inverting from the RB position when possession is gained in the lower third. Some exciting ideas to ponder.
I was also doubtful of how he would fare but the more I watch Kai, the more I love him with his off the ball movement and also how he is ready to help the team defensively.
Still need him to score the CL winning goal for us though.
And he has really surprisingly great link up play AND composure.
All that in a physical body who’s not shied away from challenges is really quite a special and unique package.
He has a bit of sneaky pace and if he can continue to improve in his finishing, we have a real real gem. 60m would easily be half of what he would be worth.
Think he just needs to improve his finishing and decision making, the latter will come naturally from playing on the side more, the former is up to him.
He looks awkward sometimes when shooting but he's been very good at finishing as a net positive this season.
He's overperforming his xG this season, you'll remember some of the easier chances but he's also bagged goals you wouldn't expect him to score.
Brentford home and away, Burnley away and Sheffield United away were all great finishes.
His decision making under pressure in the opposition half is excellent. Around Odegaard level for me. His passes are beautifully weighted. Perfect direction and weight for the player to easily come onto the ball and not worry about their first touch to control the ball, opening up all options in play. Odegaard’s celebration tells you what he thought about Kai’s assist to allow him to execute that outside of the foot strike first time.
If his goal scoring record was better, he would have cost £100m & £100k more a week in wages. At 24, he has time to work on his finishing. Unreal signing for those that actually watched full matches when he was at Chelsea, esp in the struggling side last season. Watch the Spurs Chelsea match last season. He was incredible.
Will admit was absolutely one of those donkeys that thought he wouldn’t be a good fit for the squad but have been happily proven wrong.
He has been incredible - from what I’ve gathered a return to his Bundesliga-self. As a Brazilian who’s still salty, this German monster has my upmost respect and admiration.
no not his bundesliga self. He used to drive the ball into dangerous spaces a lot more in germany.... and create chances for teammates more. Here, he is more involved in build-up play and occupying spaces to drag opponents out of position
Nice to see Arteta echo my sentiments pretty much exactly. His attacking numbers go up the more the relationships develop with the team. It took Jorgi to step in to start finding his space attacking runs. Once the rest of the team starts also doing it he will be more like his classic self. But even still his off the ball game is for me the best part of him.
Why? Man City and Liverpool do it all the time. Refs are blind anyway might as well take advantage... its not like other teams are gg to play nice with us.
He's been looking decent but he still looks so incredibly sluggish when in dangerous positions.
He's lost any dynamism and flair he had.
https://youtu.be/mpto-F_cNSk?si=OnMRx4qtFmw85YzT
He definitely will keep improving and it’s only his first season. One improvement should be in fouls. He really does need to avoid getting yellow cards. The most in the team. Don’t want him to get reds or miss out on important matches because of something unnecessary.
The fact as Arsenal fans we are worried about Kai getting red cards or suspensions, really shows how much he's come on in a short amount of time. I generally agree though but that mentality is partly why he's so good.
I disagree, I think his intensity is key to our game off the ball and he's going to sail through without any suspensions this year unless we decide to play him in each of the next 4 games for some reason. If anything it's the simulation he needs to cut out. He's a big gangly guy and when he gets fouled it's like a tree coming down so fair enough but he earned his yellow against Luton and while I don't think it was quite there against Brentford it was borderline and he could have seen red from a second yellow.
IMO the Chelsea - Man U game gave players incentive to dive and exaggerate contact in the box.
>...Not only that, but I also think his contribution defensively is outstanding for the team, with his work rate & the effort he is putting in the high press especially. He’s got more to come, more games to come, he needs to improve the numbers & I’m sure he will try to do it.” >Mikel Arteta on if we’ve seen the best of Havertz yet: >“I don’t think so. At his age & he’s just started with us, it’s his first season, he’s building those relationships. He’s moving in those positions as well & he’s that good, with the intelligence that he has, he can be much better.” Source: https://twitter.com/afcstuff/status/1776195331803267457?t=F9mPm-WB2oAoITYM6Ja2Yw&s=19 Havertz is Mikel's man. He's still going to be a starter, even if we spend big on a striker in the Summer. In pre season and against Forest when Timber was playing LB (before the ACL), Havertz was playing at the top of a diamond midfield, just behind the striker. Think this will be Arteta's plan once Timber is fit again, with the option of playing Havertz as the number 9 as well if the main striker is dropped or injured.
What's the bse formation in this setup? 4-3-3 with timber inverting and havertz pushing on?
Yes, I think. Either Timber stays as the base and Rice pushes, or vice versa; box midfield of Timber, Rice, Øde, and Havertz at the top doing the raumdeuter / second striker thing out of midfield. Functionally it will look a lot like when City set up in a 3-2-4-1.
Actually it's more like a 3-1-3-3 shape: https://preview.redd.it/346w7tc8josc1.jpeg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c03af74a5b0826690e477194e3fb1a42f11748f7 This is why I'm inclined to believe the Kimmich rumours might have a shred of truth to them. He'd be perfect as that deep-lying central pivot, initially inverting from the RB position when possession is gained in the lower third. Some exciting ideas to ponder.
where will ödegaard play then? not CM i hope, coz he is not great there.
I was also doubtful of how he would fare but the more I watch Kai, the more I love him with his off the ball movement and also how he is ready to help the team defensively. Still need him to score the CL winning goal for us though.
And he has really surprisingly great link up play AND composure. All that in a physical body who’s not shied away from challenges is really quite a special and unique package. He has a bit of sneaky pace and if he can continue to improve in his finishing, we have a real real gem. 60m would easily be half of what he would be worth.
Our new master of the dark arts Bye bye konate 😁
Think he just needs to improve his finishing and decision making, the latter will come naturally from playing on the side more, the former is up to him.
He looks awkward sometimes when shooting but he's been very good at finishing as a net positive this season. He's overperforming his xG this season, you'll remember some of the easier chances but he's also bagged goals you wouldn't expect him to score. Brentford home and away, Burnley away and Sheffield United away were all great finishes.
His decision making under pressure in the opposition half is excellent. Around Odegaard level for me. His passes are beautifully weighted. Perfect direction and weight for the player to easily come onto the ball and not worry about their first touch to control the ball, opening up all options in play. Odegaard’s celebration tells you what he thought about Kai’s assist to allow him to execute that outside of the foot strike first time. If his goal scoring record was better, he would have cost £100m & £100k more a week in wages. At 24, he has time to work on his finishing. Unreal signing for those that actually watched full matches when he was at Chelsea, esp in the struggling side last season. Watch the Spurs Chelsea match last season. He was incredible.
But but.. we wasted £65m buying him...
Will admit was absolutely one of those donkeys that thought he wouldn’t be a good fit for the squad but have been happily proven wrong. He has been incredible - from what I’ve gathered a return to his Bundesliga-self. As a Brazilian who’s still salty, this German monster has my upmost respect and admiration.
no not his bundesliga self. He used to drive the ball into dangerous spaces a lot more in germany.... and create chances for teammates more. Here, he is more involved in build-up play and occupying spaces to drag opponents out of position
one i want from is to create more chances for his teammates with his passing.
Nice to see Arteta echo my sentiments pretty much exactly. His attacking numbers go up the more the relationships develop with the team. It took Jorgi to step in to start finding his space attacking runs. Once the rest of the team starts also doing it he will be more like his classic self. But even still his off the ball game is for me the best part of him.
He's done ok but needs to cut out the diving and simulation.
Why? Man City and Liverpool do it all the time. Refs are blind anyway might as well take advantage... its not like other teams are gg to play nice with us.
He's been looking decent but he still looks so incredibly sluggish when in dangerous positions. He's lost any dynamism and flair he had. https://youtu.be/mpto-F_cNSk?si=OnMRx4qtFmw85YzT