Thread by @EBL2017

Kai Havertz, on the face of it, has been underwhelming since his move to Chelsea. However, environments matter in football.

Arteta is going to utilise Havertz in a system that will allow him to *flourish*.

Below, I break down why Havertz WILL succeed at Arsenal.

MEGA-THREAD 🚨

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.

The data backs that up.

Havertz is what the Germans call a 'raumdeuter', which was initially attributed to 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.

A raumdeuter is a space invader i.e., someone who roams and attacks space. Think Müller, Dele Alli, or Georginio Wijnaldum in his early club career or for the Netherlands.

They're not the primary goalscorer or the primary creator but always find a way into the XI of top teams.

Havertz is the same.

After he 'flopped' at Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, and Arsenal wanted to sign him. That's because although his profile isn't one that transforms a team, it's the cherry on the icing on the top of the cake.

Let me explain further.

As discussed, Havertz likes to operate between the lines. However, because he's not an all-action creator ala Bruno Fernandes or KDB as he focuses on simple actions

Below he drops deep, shows for the ball, retains it, and creates space for Mount 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 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 & 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, like the one seen below, 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 that team trait.

Then he can roam and attack space 👇

Out of possession, Havertz is an extremely hard worker and a fantastic presser due to his work ethic and long strides to cover ground quickly in the press.

However, his ability to act as an outlet is limited. He is tall at 6'2 which means he's a good target, but he's not pacey.

Havertz does run the channels and can get his team up the pitch, but running in behind the opposition's last line or carrying the ball 40 yards up the pitch the way Victor Osimhen does, for example, isn't his game.

So, that's the player - a mixed bag.

Why spend £65m on him?

Why have Madrid and Bayern coveted him for years? Why have Arsenal signed him?

On the face of it, he's not a top class #9 nor is he a top class #10 due to his limitations in each area. Is he better than Jesus or Ødegaard in each of their roles? He's also not a deep-lying #8...

Havertz will absolutely score goals in the optimal environment for him at Arsenal, but how can he crack the XI, or push a team that's needs one small step to become champions when he's so limited on the face of it?

Well, Mikel Arteta has a plan, and a really good one at that..

Arsenal struggled last season against teams like Brighton who man-marked against them across the park. It's possible to play directly through a man-to-man press, but boy is it hard...

In fact, Pep Guardiola and City don't even try to! They go long and feed off of Haaland.

Arsenal don't have that option, though, and that's because Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah, despite having an almighty spring on them, stand at 5'7 and 5'9 respectively.

They are both good outlets, but they can't compete in 1-1 duels with the monsters centre backs in the PL.

Haaland can, and that's why Pep goes long to him - because he can get the better of guys like Dunk or Holding who stand at 6'4 and 6'3.

Pep also likes to utilise Julián Álvarez, a #9, as a left-sided #10 or a right-sided #10, largely because he can win Haaland's knock downs.

On the face of it, playing two strikers goes against what Pep's philosophy is. How can a team dominate the opposition WITH the ball whilst playing two strikers? Surely that approach is too direct! Well, footballers in the modern day are multi-faceted, particularly Julián Álvarez.

As a player who plays between the lines, you must be able to connect the midfield and attack by A) offering yourself with regularity and B) having the technical quality to retain possession.

Then, offensively, you have to be able to interchange, combine, attack space, etc.

Julián Álvarez, despite being a #9 at heart, can do all of those things (as can Kai Havertz).

If you insert an attacking player into a 'midfield' role in a system where they have optimal quality and subsequent control around them, it can work if they have the necessary quality.

Kai Havertz can offer BOTH of what Erling Haaland provides against teams who man-mark (relative to winning duels against defenders) & what Julián Álvarez offers in terms of pouncing on second balls/pressing AND the qualities to play between the lines when his team have the ball..

When Haaland & Álvarez play together City's tactical versatility is off the charts.

Not only can Álvarez play as a right-sided #10 instead of De Bruyne, but he can also play as a left-sided #10 instead of Bernardo or Gündoğan despite the fact that he's a #9 at heart..

But, how?

1), City play OVER the opposition's man-marking press (against Brighton and Burnley, for example),

and 2), even when Álvarez playes in the left-sided #10 the build-up isn't negatively impacted because Rico Lewis comes inside to compensate for his lack of second phase qualities.

So, despite Kai Havertz being different to both Erling Haaland and Julián Álvarez, he can provide similar tactical qualities to what they both offer. He combines the usefulness of each and rolls that into one.

Arsenal will finally have an answer to play 'over' man-marking teams.

Irrespective of where Havertz plays, he is a target from long balls to play over the press.

Irrespective of where he plays, he has the quality to link play, interchange, and combine between the lines.

Irrespective of his presence in the left #10, Zinchenko can play behind him..

This means Ødegaard and Havertz can co-exist. This means Havertz can fill in for Ødegaard when he's not available. This means Havertz can fill in for Jesus when he's not available.

Arsenal are signing one player for 3 roles and he EXCELS at everything they need from him.

His on-ball suitability is off the charts.

Forget his limitations, because that's not what his role requires. Does Havertz excel between the lines? Yes. Then he will excel for Arsenal in these three roles.

Not only that, but off the ball is a frightening prospect too.

Can you even comprehend the sheer intensity and mobility a front two of Havertz and Jesus will press with? Can you imagine how tenacious they'll be to win second balls?

The danger in transition with Saka, Ødegaard and Martinelli alongside them...

Good heavens.

Arteta is signing Havertz to be his Julián Álvarez. He's a different player, but a similar tactical weapon.

The player is going to be useful beyond belief for Arteta and Arsenal even though, on the face of it, the player is not a top class #9 or a top class creative #10.

But that does NOT matter.

It's why I said in my "Havertz' profile is largely outdated thread" that he can still work for teams like City and Arsenal.

ENVIRONMENTS are everything for footballers, and Mikel Arteta is going to make Havertz work better than ever before.

Havertz will score goals, create chances, win duels, and counterpress to a phenomenal standard.

These are typically attributes that are not associated with a #9 or a #10 alongside each other, but football isn't linear.

Havertz is Arteta's jack-of-all-trades.

The thing about Havertz as an individual is he absolutely has untapped potential. He may not be the most elegant player in the game, but Thomas Tuchel had this man doing things Dennis Bergkamp would be proud of.

I expect Arteta to build his confidence too.

Not only that, but Arsenal are a team that will sustain pressure more than Havertz has ever had in his career before but they are also a phenomenal set piece team, and Havertz excels in the air.

Many of his goals come from corners and crosses.

Havertz has always needed freedom to play between the lines and attack the box. This is what he will do at Arsenal, & it is why he WILL succeed.

Arteta is one of the smartest men in the game, & Havertz is a tactical weapon that epitomises that.

Arsenal are lucky to have both 🛑