Thread by @AMonFootball

Making sense of Kai Havertz to Arsenal 🇩🇪🔜

A THREAD 🧵

If you're unconvinced about Havertz to Arsenal, you're in the right place.

So was I when I first heard it.

But read on, and I hope I can convince you that it's yet another example of modern coaches like Pep & Arteta teaching us the game. ⚽️

On the face of it, it's a "weird" move.

But it's only weird, because we are still stuck in certain ways of thinking about squad building.

There's TWO things we need to discuss before we can discuss Havertz - areas or patterns of thinking that, in my view, need to evolve in the modern fan's mind 👇

1. Many fans still think of players in positional terms.

"He's a 9", "he's a winger" etc.

While this can be useful as a STARTING point, as Mikel has said before (here), players roles are becoming more specific; so the labels are becoming redundant.

https://twitter.com/Naifsedge/status/1438934767429378056?s=20

What if we can evolve our thinking, and start simply considering a player's skillset?

What problems does a team have in/out of possession and what does this specific profile bring to solve them?

Can they fulfil a number of different roles, even changing around DURING a game? 🤔

2. Fans assume (likely unconsciously) that the dynamics of their team from last season will be the exact same again this season.

So we're trying to fit Havertz in to what our current perception of our team is. Is he the "Jesus"? Is he the "Xhaka"?

Is that helpful?

What if we could accept that there is likely to be change to the set-up of the team (as we see every summer btw), not only between games and periods of the season, but even between game states?

What if we could conceive that minutes are the new currency of football - NOT starts?

Because if those two things aren't evolved... then yeah, I agree, it's a weird move.

But if we can instead consider what problems he solves, how he'd allow us to play, and that we don't need to fit him into our current way of thinking about the team...

What could he be? 🤩

And more importantly, what can WE be by adding in that profile.

And if anyone deserves trust for talent ID and finding the right role, it's Mikel.

There were doubts over White, Ramsdale and even Ødegaard before they signed. Now look.

Back to Kai Havertz. 🇩🇪

So - what areas of growth potential did Arsenal have last season, and what could Havertz do to fix them? 👀

1️⃣ Missing a physically tall forward target to play a slightly different way in certain game states
2️⃣ Elite half space crossing on BOTH sides
3️⃣ Elite final third movement in combination on LHS, + reverse passes / invention
4️⃣ Squad depth

1️⃣

Our tallest player in our regular front five positions last season?

🇨🇭 Granit Xhaka (6ft 1ins)

And he's leaving. Next?

🇳🇴 Martin Ødegaard (5ft 8ins)

At times last season, I felt Arsenal lacked a more direct route forward. City now have this with Haaland, and it just gives them different options.

Havertz can provide a different way of progressing up the pitch, and he has the technique and skill to hold off and link up.

Height isn't everything.

But for a team who want to dominant physically and offer aerial threat which Havertz does, it helps.

I've been of the opinion that Arsenal need a Kane/Haaland/Osimhen ST profile - but that's not easy to find, and there's no-one available this summer.

I think Arteta does too (Vlahovic, Isak, Abraham links).

But in the mean time, could we find a different solution?

Sure.

Havertz could:
- Drop into CF/F9 for periods in a game to be a target
- Start at F9 and rotate out for Jesus
- Simply be a target for Ramsdale to hit

Is it what Arteta wants long term?

I don't think so.

But do I want my tallest forward to be 5'8", with no option on the bench who can be a target to hit for the CBs/GK in different game states?

Nah.

2️⃣

Havertz has a wand of a left foot.

Think of the goal Jesus scored at Brentford. We want more of that - that was Xhaka.

If we could have the option for half space crosses on BOTH sides, with more regularity and quality, that's only going to help.

Havertz has no angle bias, so he could drop in on the right or left in the half space and play balls into the box for Jesus' elite movement and separation.

It takes the pressure off Ø being the focal point in the half space as we break down blocks.

You want as many ways of scoring as possible. This only adds to our Arsenal of ways of attacking the box.

Arsenal. Get it?

Anyway...

3️⃣

Just watch him. This guy understands space.

Arriving late in the box, drifting wide, facilitating - he has it all in the final third APART from the final action.

He doesn't have elite ball-striking, isn't a "predator", but look at how he links up and finds his teammates.

He would be a monumental upgrade on Xhaka in the final third. You just need to see it with your eyes to see Xhaka's limitations compared to what Kai might bring.

Xhaka was great, but we can do better in there. We know we can. He has the reverse pass too.

4️⃣

Finally, there's a squad depth issue.

Granted, any signing gives you depth. But Havertz could play minutes for us in a number of positions, and is another player who means fewer and fewer redundant "back up" players.

This might mean Eddie goes.

Not to mention the age profile, the pedigree, the international experience, the likelihood he wouldn't want to be a top earner, the league experience and more.

Let's address some concerns.

His "defensive work rate".

I promise you, go watch him. This guy is a much better defender than you think.

Here's his FBref numbers.

He "doesn't score enough goals"

You're right. He doesn't.

His best ever season, he scored 8. But that's not what he'd be here to do. His link-up play and work BTL is genuinely elite.

He's been forced to play as a 9 because Chelsea can't buy a 9 that works. Not his fault.

I'm sure I'll have more thoughts on this at some point, but those are some initial ones.

Any thoughts, do let me know, and give me a follow for more.

youtube.com/channel/UC00Jq…