Kevin Campbell explains why Arsenal star Kai Havertz is underrated

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Former Arsenal striker Kevin Campbell believes that Kai Havertz is underrated.

Kai Havertz scored his first Arsenal goal in the Gunners’ 4-0 win over Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon. Having struggled to produce his best form since his £65 million arrival at the Emirates Stadium in the recent summer transfer window, the 24-year-old will now be relieved to have gotten off the mark.

The German star is in the process of rebuilding his game at Arsenal. Having operated as a striker in his time at Chelsea, Mikel Arteta is now deploying Havertz in a midfield role. Understandably, it is taking some time for the player to fully get to grips with this new position.

However, there are signs that Havertz is beginning to adjust to the tactical demands that are now upon him at Arsenal. As per WhoScored statistics, against the Cherries, Havertz made four tackles, took two shots, and completed 79.2% of his passes.

Havertz has looked short on confidence in recent weeks, but Arteta will be hoping that having scored a penalty, the £280,000-a-week ace will now be able to kick on.

Havertz harshly criticised so far

Kevin Campbell, though, believes that Havertz has been harshly judged for his performances for Arsenal so far. Speaking on the BBC Radio Five Live Football Daily podcast, he said, “he is lacking confidence and any player who is lacking confidence will have bits missing from their game, that’s just the way it is.” 

“The fact of the matter is that Kai Havertz adds an efficiency to Arsenal that people won’t give him credit for, because as far as people are concerned he cost £65m and he should be scoring five or 10 goals a week. It doesn’t work like that, it’s a new system, he needs to learn how Arsenal play, and that attacking prowess has to come with confidence”

Campbell is correct to say that Havertz has been efficient so far. He may not have been spectacular, and has made a couple of errors in the final third, but he wins his duels, makes intelligent runs, and adds an extra level of physicality to the Gunners’ attack. These aspects of his game may not be the most eye-catching, but they help Arsenal play the game in the manner Arteta wants them to play it.

Havertz has made a solid start to life at Arsenal. His contributions have been underrated so far, and now he looks on the verge of taking his game up a level.