One awful Nketiah stat a worry for Arteta but great news for ‘underrated’ Arsenal star

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One damning Eddie Nketiah stat is bad news for Arsenal, but could come to benefit Kai Havertz.

As GiveMeSport recently posted on their Instagram page, Eddie Nketiah has scored just five goals in his last 52 Arsenal appearances that have come away from home. 

So far this season, the 24-year-old striker has failed to find the back of the net at all in nine outings away from the Emirates Stadium.

This is clearly a huge problem for Mikel Arteta, and he needs to find a solution. Nketiah led the line for the Gunners against Newcastle United on Saturday, and Arsenal were deemed to have been “toothless” in attack at St James’ Park.

There are several reasons for why Nketiah might be struggling to perform on the road. One will be a lack of confidence. The once-capped England international may well have developed a mental block given his struggles away from home.

Equally, when Arsenal play away from home, they typically find that opponents take the game to them more. Nketiah is not at his best as an off-the-ball pressing forward. Arsenal will have less of the ball in these matches, and chances against top sides will come at a premium. 

Kai Havertz can provide solution for Eddie Nketiah’s woes on the road

Arteta can’t have a non-scoring striker in his starting XI for half of the Gunners’ matches this season. With Gabriel Jesus sidelined with injury, this situation could open the door for Kai Havertz to be given a run out up front when Arsenal go away.

The £65 million former Chelsea player hasn’t been in great form since joining Arsenal in the recent summer transfer window. However, he has shown flashes of quality in his limited opportunities to play as a striker under Arteta.

Havertz has been called an “underrated” player, and his under-appreciated skillset could become a real asset to Arsenal in tricky away ties. His physicality, aerial presence, and ability to hold up the ball would allow the Gunners to adopt a more direct style of play in matches when they’re coming under pressure and struggling to dominate possession. 

In such games, Nketiah can all too easily become a passenger. Havertz would give Arsenal a fresh dimension in attack and make them a more potent force on the road.