German ace Kai Havertz openly admitted that he has started winning more duels with Arsenal, something he could never achieve at Chelsea.
The 25-year-old has completely revamped his playing style since joining the North London outfit in a £65 million deal last summer.
The player was inconsistent but still valuable for the Blues during his tenure at Stamford Bridge. He scored 32 goals in 139 games but couldn’t find his stride as he was unhappy with his development.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was aware of Havertz’s strengths and wanted him to play a key role in his team’s attacking unit.
Fast forward 12 months, and the German is back at his best, in love with football. Arteta has transformed him into a player who can not only score goals but defend fiercely, challenging for the ball, and never afraid to take on the opponents.
ARTETA HAS MADE HAVERTZ FALL IN LOVE WITH FOOTBALL
Havertz has now riled up Chelsea fans by saying that he has become more of a complete player at Arsenal than he ever was at Stamford Bridge. As quoted by The Athletic, he said:
“Back in the day, I wasn’t the player who won duels and everything, but right now I love it.”
Mikel Arteta has changed Kai Havertz’ whole world. pic.twitter.com/UUHbXGBcpg
— now.arsenal (@now_arsenaI) October 3, 2024
The German star wrote himself in folklore by scoring the lone goal in the 2020-2021 Champions League final, helping Chelsea defeat Manchester City. He now wants to win such major titles with the Gunners, a club that helped him dive into his unexplored side.
Havertz has contributed to eight goals in his last six games at the Emirates Stadium. Arteta praised him for his recent performance vs. PSG, describing him as a ‘powerful and intelligent player’.
The former Bundesliga star had low aerial stats with Chelsea, but the numbers have reversed since joining Arsenal. He has won 98% of his aerial duels and also won 88% of his ground duels this season. He won 10 ground and aerial duels, two tackles, and four interceptions vs. PSG.
Kai Havertz’s game by numbers vs PSG:
48 touches
21/31 passes completed
10 duels won (most)
4x possession won
2 tackles made
2 shots
1 chance created
1 goal
0.3 xGAnother day, another goal.#UCL pic.twitter.com/YLIL7ySitR
— Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) October 1, 2024
Apart from scoring goals, he is actively involved in defence and is commonly seen assisting William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes during corners and free kicks. Arteta wanted a player who switches quickly from attack to defence, and he has finally found his gem.
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There is still a lot to learn, and the German has the potential to reach his peak in on-field performance. He is absolutely vital for the club’s chances of ending their 21-year wait for a Premier League title.
