22 Aug 2023 16:47:54
Just read a really interesting article about Havertz and all the negativity surrounding him.

These are his stats for yesterday:

91% pass accuracy
2 chances created
39 touches
Most duels won for second game running

The article suggested his work goes under the radar as he doesn't do eye catching runs.

I have a lot of faith in him and I hope he proves the doubters wrong.

Time will tell.

1.) 22 Aug 2023
22 Aug 2023 17:47:32
Early days Sally and although the stats are impressive I do think he's going to have to change his game so his efforts become more apparent if he's not to be a Xhaka replacement of his first 5 seasons with Arsenal where most fans and pundits didn't rate him and consistently questioned his selection rather than the Xhaka of last season who finally came good in most people's eyes. Stats are all well and good but as always seeing is believing and nobody watches a game to be told how well someone is doing really despite appearances, he needs to be seen to do if he's to avoid becoming a misfit with the majority of fans.

As said it's really early days I really hope the lad can change people's view of him but to do that going to have 'show fans the money " apposed to rely on statisticians to explain " the money's there, but you just can't see the money for yourselfs "

2.) 22 Aug 2023
22 Aug 2023 18:25:59
Im not trying to berate kai but most of the passes were around 5 yards. i'm an eye test guy and while stats are important, i believe kai has got to do a little bit more than just win duels and making 5 yard passes. i'm sure he is demanding this himself. He needs to be more assertive during games. Maybe its because he is low on confident due to his for at Chelsea for a few years. But if he keeps ghosting games then there will a come a time when the manager has to decide if having him in the first 11 is the best call. Its all good winning games the way we did but we saw this last season too. Once again not trying to be negative but its about time we march on and get some trophies.

3.) 22 Aug 2023
22 Aug 2023 18:53:10
I do think there is and should be more to come from Havertz, but i believe he just needs more time to acclimatise. His style is not that apparent but it really shouldn't be held against him.

To me he feels like a player who does not want to be the first receiver of a progressive pass from deep. He seems to be more interested in finding empty spaces to be played into after such passes. For example a progressive pass to Odegaard draws in a defender, which leaves a space into which Havertz then moves and where the ball can then be played. I think he relies on such combinations and last night they just didn't seem to happen. That's the impression i'm getting from him but obviously it could be a false one.

4.) 22 Aug 2023
22 Aug 2023 19:50:10
I love the team and the club. Unfortunately not seen anything in the first 2 games to make me think we will be title contenders. However season not really begun yet team will need time to gel together and us fans need to stay behind the team and trust the process.

5.) 22 Aug 2023
22 Aug 2023 19:58:40
Effort, strength on the ball and busting a gut to win a ball back doesn’t require time. It requires heart. Getting pushed off the ball or ghosting requires no heart.

If he’s playing with his heart then he deserves time - if he doesn’t then play Trossard and let’s get that winning mentality into the team.

Why do we pander to a player who has epl experience and played for a big club.

If he’s putting in the effort and being strong and pressing and running the length of the pitch at a decent pace to attack or defend then awesome. If not, Why not? That’s attitude not time.

6.) 22 Aug 2023
22 Aug 2023 20:04:51
The person who wrote the article purposely watched the whole game again, taking note of Havertz's play and realised he hadn't seen half of what he was doing when he saw it live.

I just thought it was an interesting point of view. And I suppose at 6'5" (or whatever it is in metric) it's probably not so easy to dash about.

Let's hope he comes good, can't be easy with all the chatter about him.

7.) 22 Aug 2023
22 Aug 2023 20:23:55
Yeah Sally, with 10 men, backs to the wall defending, kai didn't get subbed off, he was putting effort in and useful he would have been off.

8.) 22 Aug 2023
22 Aug 2023 20:55:48
This Kai situation is very much an enigma for us and starting to wonder if he was brought in to play with Jesus who creates a lot of space. Sound far fetch but MA himself is becoming an enigma and I'm starting to think he's trying to be unpredictable. For example, don't understand why Gabriel is not starting games and yet in those two games he was dragged on to sure up things. Is he being marked for a transfer out?

{Ed014's Note - I really hope not, I thought with the arrival of Timber our back four would likely be Timber, Saliba, Gabriel and Zinchenko.

Maybe with Tommy being suspended we’ll revert to White, Saliba, Gabriel and Zinchenko for Fulham.

We can then play Partey, Rice and Odegaard in midfield.

9.) 22 Aug 2023
22 Aug 2023 21:14:04
You normally give me a bit of stick for my opinion on White and Kai… guess I deserve a bit of ?

Agree - that back 4 and 3 in midfield makes perfect sense

Yet we play Partey as a fake RB, a poser of a CB vine RB in central defence, Timber as a left back and Tierney on bench etc etc - unpredictable is a word for it…. Palace are poor and Forest poor yet we made a meal of them both. Let’s please play our best 11 and make players earn their position…

Trossard deserves a shout based on effort

Let’s get that back 4 and 3 innour starting 11 plus the best keeper and attackers along with a new striker on bench. COYG

Margins are tiny so we need to get our game face on ??.

10.) 22 Aug 2023
22 Aug 2023 21:55:29
It's a fair point Sally, I did something similar with Mesut once and his work rate off the ball was incredible, but in general we fans watch the game not one player so players need to be in the game to be fully appreciated. Mesut was only really appreciated for what he did with the ball and few were bothed when the club let him go, it will be will be the same for Kai apart from one huge difference, he hasn't got Ozils pre Arsenal reputation as a world class player to fall back on. In my opinion he has to be seen to be contributing or he will or the pressure will grow and grow on Arteta to give Trossard and others games ahead of him. The lasst thing the team, manager and club needs is another player like Mesut or Xhaka who infuriates and divides a large section of the fans.

Hope he comes good really quickly, for everyone's sake ?.

11.) 23 Aug 2023
22 Aug 2023 23:57:36
Think that’s unfair on Ozil - assists, goals and KMs covered was pretty strong. If you watched him live in the stadium you could see the large number of unselfish off the ball runs he made, sharp thinking touches and sublime passes. Yes he sulked and had a poor demeanour but his quality was clear.

Henry and DB10 took a little time to settle but they came from another league but also never hid and put effort in. As long as he does thst then he should have time.

I’m tired of us saying our players need endless games to settle - we bought from epl teams to help the process of settling. Rice seems to have settled. If Kai is getting stick in the press then he just needs to show he cares as everyone loves an underdog - why should he make our midfield weak or get in front of Trossard? He needs to earn his spot and shut the critics up.

I hope he does but in the meantime play the performers to ensure high morale and performances.