Arsenal have made good use of Kai Havertz's versatility, but he may need to find a permanent role. Photo: Clive Mason/Getty Images
Three Chelsea managers have failed to solve the Kai Havertz mystery, but there are suspicions that Mikel Arteta will have to do so if Arsenal want to be one better and win the title this season.< /p>
Havertz had a very acceptable Premier League debut for Arsenal in their first win over Nottingham Forest when he made no major mistakes, worked hard and showed smart play.
But exactly where he should play remains a mystery, and Arteta and the Arsenal fans weren't sure after Saturday's lunch break how he would fit in best with the manager's team. Arsenal before kick-off, although in the first half his position was more like a tenth or second striker playing next to Eddie Nketiah who scored the first goal.
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When Nketia retired, Havertz was promoted to the No. 9 role, just like he played in the Community Shield, but drifted left to right for most of the second half. midfield, sometimes even moving to the center to allow Declan Rice to go into free space.
Havertz was capable of all roles but was not convincing in any, and this is exactly the kind of problem that Chelsea fans will tell the Arsenal fans, on which their club spent £65 million. Frank Lampard tried the German in midfield, on the wing, as a tenth and up front, while Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter continued to play with him as a nine despite never being a regular goalscorer.
< p>Bukayo Saka scored a superb goal that was enough to secure three points for Arsenal despite Nottingham Forest substitute Taiwo Avonia creating a tense ending and Arteta this season once again relying on his team will distribute the goals among themselves.
That's why a lot of money was spent on Havertz, rather than the more traditional nine, to add goals of his own and also allow Arteta to get more attacking players onto the field at the same time. Against Forest, Arsenal started with five strikers and just three excellent defenders, one of whom, debutant Yourrien Timber, was forced off the pitch with a worrying injury requiring examination.
It worked to a certain extent and three forward-thinking players, Nketiah, Gabriel Martinelli, who assisted the striker brilliantly, and Saka scored the goals. Perhaps next week against Crystal Palace, Havertz will score a goal himself or help. But ask three Arsenal fans where he should start the game and you'll likely get three different answers, and Arteta doesn't seem to be sure yet.
Solving the puzzle by a talented player like Havertz, will be seen very much as a first world problem for Forest manager Steve Cooper, who could lose far more than a title shot if he fails to turn things around again this season.
Maybe Avonii and winger Anthony Elanga, who score the striker's goal with a powerful shot on the left flank. It may have been done before at the Emirates, but Cooper's team needs a quality injection to avoid another relegation dogfight.
Quality. it's not a problem for Arsenal or Havertz. Knowing where he will show it best from is a big unanswered question.
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