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Kai Havertz: Arsenal striker now flourishing in the Gunners’ attack
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Kai Havertz: Arsenal striker now flourishing in the Gunners’ attack

Havertz may be flourishing in front of goal now, but his finishing is a world away from when he first arrived in England to sign for Chelsea in 2020.

Signed by then Blues boss Frank Lampard, he arrived as an attacking midfielder, but during his time at Stamford Bridge he also played as a false nine and as a centre-forward as they tried to carve out his best position.

“I don’t think it was completely clear when he came to Chelsea,” Lampard said on Amazon Prime.

“He was a very talented player, his position was not completely clear.

“He had been a number eight midfielder, he had been a number nine and we never got to the end of his story at Chelsea. What was his best position?”

In his three years at Chelsea, he never scored more than eight Premier League goals in a season.

Although Havertz scored the winner in the Champions League final against Manchester City in 2021, he also missed some pretty big chances during his time at the club and when Arsenal paid £65 million to sign him last summer, it attracted a few eyebrows raised.

Initially, his struggles in front of goal continued and it took him 10 games to score his first goal for the club.

But Arteta’s faith in Havertz as a striker was eventually rewarded and he finished last season with an impressive thirteen Premier League goals.

Against PSG he showed all the facets of his game that he probably acquired after playing a number of positions before finally taking on the role of striker.

His touch map showed him dropping deep to help start attacks, drifting wide and in the penalty area he showed how clinical he can be by scoring from just one of just five touches he had in the area.

“He plays that hybrid role where he is in midfield and then arrives (in the penalty area),” Lampard added.

“He’s really getting to grips with the competitiveness that gives him an extra layer.

“There is a natural talent and he always has.”