Arsene Wenger, the legendary ex-Arsenal manager, has just warned Mikel Arteta that if he ever wants his striker to score goals left, right, and centre, he may have to consider recruiting a traditional striker, which Kai Havertz is not.
So far, Havertz has done well as Arsenal’s leader in attack, and his all-action, do-it-all attitude has pushed the team. Besides scoring, the German wants to help with build-up and defense while winning all his duels. Even still, Wenger told beIN that if Arsenal wanted a striker who could score goals for fun like Harry Kane, Havertz was not that man.
Yes, the German striker has six goals in 12 games this season, but the French tactical mastermind believes it is unrealistic to expect him to reach the number of goals that Harry Kane used to.
“That depends on the way you want to defend or the way you want to play,” Wenger said when asked who he would pick given the choice between Havertz and Harry Kane. “Havertz is more of a contributor to the all-around game; defensively, he works very hard; offensively, he scores less goals than Kane and will never score the number of goals Kane scores. He’s more of a 10-and-a-half or a nine-and-a-half.”
Are Arsenal likely to win the league with a 20+ goal-scoring striker, or can they simply distribute the goals among the players? I can’t help but question myself after hearing Wenger’s assertions. From those comments, one can’t help but wonder if Mikel Arteta didn’t sign a top goalscorer like Benjamin Sesko or Viktor Gyokeres because of how he wants his team to play.
Perhaps he simply wants his squad to play more defensively, but if that’s the case, will the Gunners win the league title that has eluded them for the last 20 years playing that way?
Darren N
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I think he’s right. Havertz isn’t a prolific goal scorer in the Kane or Haaland mould. He good, no doubt about that, but he’s not the same. He contributes greatly in other ways of course.
This is why some of us were pushing for Arsenal to get an “out and out” striker because they don’t have one. We can’t count Jesus as he’s considerably less a goal-scorer than Havertz (with no goals since January – disgraceful for a No. 9 really). Should the Arsenal injury “bug” extend to Havertz, they could well have problems.
As much as I hate to say it, not many striker will reach the heights of the former three points lane man.
He’s a natural striker, who also provide excellent services in the final third as well.
Happy he’s out the league, he was like a thorn in our bacķ
Arteta prefers a contributor at striker not a prominent scorer. That’s the gaffer’s philosophy and tactics, so we will see where that takes us.
Right or wrong, time will eventually show it in the end.
Wenger is very right and the stubbornness of arteta shall continue to derail our progress from winning the league. There’s no way arteta is going to win the league without a good striker. His plan is to play defensive and take on opportunities. Fans should stop supporting the idea that he’s the coach and knows better. Being a coach doesn’t mean he knows better than other people. Arteta must buy a good goal scoring striker in order to succeed in England.
Wenger stating the obvious as usual.😹.
Oh, even Wenger, stating the obvious!!
In other news, water is wet.
How many prolific goalscorers are out there ? Sesko keeps being mentioned, but against Leverkusen earlier this season he put a easy headed chance wide, and he was right in front of the goal from 6 yards. Then the other week against Mainz, twice he was one on one with the goalkeeper and failed both times to score.