“It’s about who he’s surrounded by” – Mikel Arteta comments on getting the best out of Kai Havertz

Mikel Arteta comments

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has explained how he has managed to bring the best out of Kai Havertz. The German wasn’t having a good time with the north London side post his switch from Chelsea, but has lately turned into a big player for the Gunners to play an instrumental role in their title push.

In 30 league appearances, Havertz has scored nine goals and made five assists. Interestingly, 64% of his total goal contribution has come only since February, indicating a massive upturn in form in recent weeks.

Signed on a massive £65 million deal last summer, Havertz was turning out to be an expensive flop. But he’s turned the tide around lately, and is now proving to be worth the exorbitant sum that Arsenal paid for him.

Arteta certainly had a big role to play here, with the Arsenal manager giving him a more direct, attacking role as their striker which seems to have worked wonders. When asked about Havertz’s transformation into a key player at a recent press conference, he said:

“No. The first convo I had with him I told him what my idea was and how he could impact the team. He’s got the capacity to adapt. If he’s feeling good, sometimes it’s about who he’s surrounded by rather than the position. I wouldn’t say he’s more comfortable as a nine. He did very similar as an eight.”

Havertz’s return to form has also coincided with Arsenal hitting the throttle in recent weeks to bolster their title hopes. The side is unbeaten in their last 11 games, winning 10, and have climbed to the top of the top-flight table with 71 points from 31 games.

Arteta may rest Havertz this weekend

Mikel Arteta may rest Kai Havertz for this weekend’s Premier League clash with Aston Villa as Arsenal have a daunting visit to Allianz Arena in the coming Wednesday. The Gunners held Bayern Munich to a 2-2 draw, keeping the tie in the balance, but must beat the Bundesliga champions in their backyard to stand a chance of reaching the Champions League semi-finals. While it’s no mean feat, Arsenal’s form holds them in good stead, while Bayern’s own struggles of late cannot be ignored too.

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