Mikel Arteta has responded to the show of support that Kai Havertz received from Arsenal fans on Saturday.
The travelling Arsenal fans sang loud and proud throughout the Gunners’ 4-0 thumping of Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday afternoon. However, one chant in support of Kai Havertz proved particularly popular.
After a difficult start to life at Arsenal, following his £65 million switch from Chelsea in the recent summer transfer window, Havertz opened his account for the north London club against the Cherries.
His fine all round performance was capped off nicely when he was given the chance to score from the penalty spot. The German attacker cooly sent Bournemouth goalkeeper Neto the wrong way, and sent the Arsenal fans into raptures on the south coast.
From that moment on, the supporters were in full voice, and firmly behind Havertz.
Even on television, the chorus was deafening, as to the tune of Waka Waka by Shakira, the Arsenal faithful repeatedly boomed:
Tsamina mina, eh, eh
Waka waka, eh, eh
£60 million down the drain
Kai Havertz scores again
Time for Havertz to kick on at Arsenal
Mikel Arteta was particularly pleased with how the fans got behind the 24-year-old. As quoted by the club’s official website, he said after the match, “I’m so thankful to our supporters the way they sang his name, have made him feel in the way he has felt today and if there’s a person in a dressing room that deserves that, it’s Kai Havertz. So happy for him.”
Hopefully, Havertz can take plenty of heart from his goal and ovation from the Arsenal fans. This should boost his confidence, and now he can use this match as a platform to build a strong season on. It will be a huge bonus for Arteta if Havertz can now discover his best form for the club on a consistent basis.
Overall, it was a fantastic day for Arsenal. They produced an excellent performance, scored plenty of goals, and their rivals, Manchester City and Liverpool, both lost their games this weekend.
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