Arsenal
Aston Villa
Chelsea
Crystal Palace
Everton
Fulham
Leeds United
Liverpool
Manchester City
Manchester United
Newcastle United
Nottingham Forest
Southampton
Tottenham Hotspur
West Ham United
Wolverhampton Wanderers
News
‘A bit weak’: TalkSPORT pundit once thought Arsenal player was ‘special’, now he’s having doubts
Dean Ashton has questioned whether Kai Havertz is suited to the Premier League having thought the Arsenal star was a special talent when he was emerging in the Bundesliga.
Ashton was speaking on (2/11; 9:14) after the German played the full 90 minutes as Arsenal were knocked out of the Carabao Cup by West Ham on Wednesday night.
It is certainly fair to say that Kai Havertz has not had the best time since moving to the Emirates in the summer. It surprised many when Mikel Arteta began to pursue the 24-year-old after what had largely been an underwhelming time at Chelsea.
Dean Ashton whether Kai Havertz will be a success with Arsenal
Unfortunately, the decision to sign Havertz has, so far, not proved to be a masterstroke. The forward has only shown glimpses of his quality. And his only goal for the Gunners came from the penalty spot against Bournemouth.
Arsenal are now out of the Carabao Cup after an awful performance against West Ham last night. Some may feel that Havertz hardly looked interested during the tie at the London Stadium.
And Dean Ashton has now suggested that he is not convinced that he is cut out for the Premier League after his tricky time with Arsenal.
“In the Bundesliga when I watched him I thought that kid is special, I think he’s going to be a special player,” he told .
“But he just looks a bit flaky, a bit weak maybe for our football.”
Mikel Arteta may need to consider change up front
At this stage, you have to wonder if Havertz has to be tested in the striker position. Arsenal are set to be without Gabriel Jesus for the next few weeks.
Eddie Nketiah did score a hat-trick against Sheffield United. But his performance against the Hammers reminded everyone of why he still has his doubters.
Havertz’s best display in an Arsenal shirt came in the Community Shield. And that was when he was deployed as a striker.
At this stage, it is hard to argue that he gets in the team in any other position – certainly, as a starter anyway.
It is too soon to write him off, despite what others may say. But you do have to question what he is going to be able to do to justify Arsenal spending so much to sign him in the summer.