Chris Sutton has warned Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta that he is making a ‘huge mistake’ that could destroy Kai Havertz.
The German has come under a lot of criticism this season. There was a period when he was being hailed for his performances, but his display against Liverpool last weekend frustrated many. Sutton thinks it’s all Arteta’s fault.
Chris Sutton warns Mikel Arteta against using Kai Havertz as a striker at Arsenal
One of the big surprises when Arsenal took on Liverpool on Sunday was to see Kai Havertz play up front.
Gabriel Jesus missed the game due to a knee injury, while Leandro Trossard and Eddie Nketiah were both left on the bench at the Emirates.
Havertz actually played really well. He linked play up brilliantly and his movement was excellent, but he just failed to do the most important thing – score goals. The German could’ve had a hat-trick against Liverpool on Sunday.
Chris Sutton has had his say on Havertz, and he thinks using the German as a striker is a ‘huge mistake’ by Mikel Arteta. He went as far as saying that the decision could psychologically destroy Havertz.
He said on the It’s All Kicking Off podcast: “I don’t think that Mikel Arteta picking Kai Havertz as a central striker or a false nine is doing any good for the Arsenal team, and I don’t think he’s doing any good for Kai Havertz.
‘I think psychologically, when he knows he is playing as a central striker, he looks like he is shackled. He looks like the weight of the shirt is too great for him. He looks like he dithers and delays, just as he did on a couple of occasions in the first half. He doesn’t think clearly.
“Kai Havertz is a good footballer, but I think Mikel Arteta playing him as a number nine, it just absolutely kills him, destroys him psychologically. He has to play him as an eight. And we’ve seen this season that when he does play as an eight, he seems to play freer, he seems to enjoy it more.
“So I think that was a huge mistake from Mikel Arteta and something which he really needs to think about.”
Havertz should play more as a striker
Chris Sutton has his reasons for his assessment, but we completely disagree. We think Kai Havertz is better as a number nine against certain teams.
The German’s hold-up play is good, his movement is outstanding and the way he plays brings everyone around him closer to the goal.
To add that, he becomes a target in the box for the wingers to cross to, which adds a whole other dimension to Arsenal’s game.
Havertz didn’t score against Liverpool, but everything else he did was brilliant. We really want to see him get more chances up top in the coming weeks.
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