It’s created an expectation mixed with a tension and, on the other hand, the coaching staff have (rightly, in my view) surmised that they cannot win the league by doing exactly the same things that came up short last season. But clearly, there is a very fine line between building flexibility and unpredictability and over complication.
Arteta hadn’t considered any part of the Forest and Palace games a ‘Vieira moment’ but he saw something in the left area of the pitch against Fulham that made him think Vieira was the man for that situation and he was correct. Really, I think what we are looking and waiting for is a Havertz moment. Arteta made some pointed comments about his failure to score so far which also tells us a lot about how he sees the player’s roles and responsibilities.
Maybe that is the difference between a £65m player and a £105m player, maybe it’s easier to adapt to a ‘busy’ on the ball role like Rice’s compared to the off the ball subtleties of Havertz’s position. Some players, like Ben White and Thomas Partey, took a while to truly grow into their roles. Some, like Saliba, Zinchenko and Jesus, managed it instantly.
Lord knows Guardiola has had his share of players that required time to adjust to his tactical machinations. However, City’s relentlessness allied to Havertz’s price tag and air of familiarity (contempt) mean patience is in short supply. It would not be intellectually honest of me to say that the Havertz signing will definitely work in time. It might not. Sometimes things are disjointed and stay that way.
Havertz also has a languidness that does him few favours, even if the data shows a player who runs a lot, wins duels and competes aerially. All of this meant that an atmosphere of distrust around him has been quick to build. I understand it, when you buy a player for £65m you don’t really want to hear about how issues at left-back and left centre-half may or may not be impacting their game. Declan Rice has played in a similar area and already looks settled and established.
However, I do believe it is far too early to judge and far too early for the home crowd to be humming and hawing at him. The team needs this signing to work and while that doesn’t mean that anyone has to rate him especially, in the stadium I hope we can lay any priors to one side and see how this all pans out.
The environment among the supporters still feels a little like it did at the end of last season, expectant, tense, fraught. For the first time in over 15 years, Arsenal fans are going into a campaign with a reasonable expectation of a title push and to do that, they are going to have to kiss the sky, because Manchester City don’t really allow much wiggle room for any challenger.
Oleksandr Zinchenko is yet to start a game at left-back and, in his stead, Arsenal have started three different players now in Jurrien Timber, sadly injured on his debut, Takehiro Tomiaysu, comically sent-off in his start, and Jakub Kiwior. Gabriel has also yet to start a game. Gabriel Jesus tends to ‘lean left’ (in a footballing sense anyway) and he has been absent also.
In a sense, Arteta was able to use his bench to brilliant effect against Fulham. The ‘left pod’ of the team looked stodgy with Kiwior at left-back and Havertz to the left of the midfield. Clearly, Havertz did not have a good game against Fulham, attackers don’t tend to be subbed at 0-1 on 56 minutes if they are having anything other than an indifferent performance, at least.
A fortnight ago, I wrote about Kai Havertz and the hybrid role he adopted in the season opener against Nottingham Forest. At the outset of the article, I wrote, “I very much have the feeling that Kai Havertz is going to be a player that divides opinion,” and I already feel vindicated in that view.
Of course, the fact that Havertz has come from Chelsea both makes him a more familiar figure to supporters and elevates expectation. While it is true that Arsenal have bought poorly from their West London neighbours in the past, none of those were bad purchases because of their inherent Chelsea-ness and it’s not logical to consider the identity of the seller as a reason not to buy a player.
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