“I don’t have any other options than to use him, I’ll talk to him before the game against City on Sunday”- Mikel Arteta apologises to Arsenal’s ‘underappreciated’ player after he told him to get ready to play against Man City by the weekend- Not Smith Rowe, Not Vierra and not Tomiyasu

‘I can see that’: Mikel Arteta could now use ‘underappreciated’ player up front vs Man City – pundit

Arsenal face Manchester City this weekend, and they head into this game with a number of selection headaches to contend with.

They still haven’t fully settled on a first-choice goalkeeper, they could be without Bukayo Saka for this game, while Gabriel Martinelli will seemingly also be absent.

An attacking reshuffle is on the cards, and according to Adrian Clarke, speaking on the Handbrake Off Podcast, one solution could be to use Kai Havertz up front.

Clarke states that Havertz would give Arsenal more of a physical presence up top, which they may need as they may have to go long in order to counter-act Man City’s press this weekend.

Havertz up top

Clarke spoke about the idea of using the ‘underappreciated’ midfielder as a striker.

“It’s an interesting proposal, he did play ok in that game and he can do it and it wouldn’t surprise me. In this game, the way City press and the way we give the ball away against pressing teams, we may have to go longer and if you are to go longer, Kai is your man with Jesus and Trossard coming in from the wings either side, I can see that,” Clarke said.

Tough

We just can’t see the merits of using this tactic in this game.

Yes, Havertz would give Arsenal a bit more size up front, but he’s still no match for Ruben Dias at the back, and he doesn’t carry much goal threat.

Arsenal are one of the most exciting and free-flowing teams in world football right now, so to revert to a tactic of lumping it up to a big man in their biggest game of the season would be so backwards.

Havertz probably shouldn’t even start in this game, let alone starting up front.