Mikel Arteta wasting “special player” in the wrong position, says Arsenal legend
Arsenal legend Paul Merson has made it clear he thinks that Gunners manager Mikel Arteta is using Kai Havertz in the wrong position at the moment.
The pundit admits he feels sorry for Havertz, because he doesn’t feel the Germany international is a midfielder, despite Arteta primarily using him in that role this season so far.
Havertz mostly played up front or as a false nine during his time at Chelsea, but Arteta has been strangely reluctant to use him there since signing him for Arsenal in the summer, and Merson feels this is what’s going wrong for the player at the moment.
While some might argue that Havertz didn’t exactly set the world alight whilst playing as a striker for Chelsea, it’s also true that he was playing at a pretty dysfunctional club and under a number of different managers, so he might do better in his preferred role in this more settled Arsenal side.
“He’s struggling a bit,” Merson said of Havertz on Sky Sports, as quoted by the Metro. “He had a shot that got blocked, if you’ve got four in four you hit that and it gets deflected or you hit it sweetly and it goes in.
“I feel sorry for him, I don’t think he’s a midfield player I think he’s a centre forward. He’s 6ft 4in, maybe he’s a No.10.
“What he did do and they did well Arsenal they got the ball in the box and he got in the box.
“He’s a big lad I hope he does well I think he’s a special player and he’s struggling. Everyone struggles in their career and he’s having that moment and the moment and hopefully he gets through it.”
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