“Everyone is blaming Havertz because of his huge price tag and that’s unfair, he wasn’t the worst player in the pitch last night”- Manchester United Legend Patrick Evra says £195k-p/w Arsenal star who lost the ball 20 times against Liverpool was the one who let Mikel Arteta down and is worse than Havertz- Not Jakub Kiwior, not Ben White & not Nelson
“Everyone is blaming Havertz because of his huge price tag and that’s unfair, he wasn’t the worst player in the pitch last night”- Manchester United Legend Patrick Evra says £195k-p/w Arsenal star who lost the ball 20 times against Liverpool was the one who let Mikel Arteta down and is worse than Havertz- Not Jakub Kiwior, not Ben White & not Nelson
Arsenal’s £195k-p/w star was as bad as Havertz v Liverpool
Arsenal were torrid in attack as they limped out of the FA cup to Liverpool
Mutter the word striker around the Emirates Stadium right now and it’s likely you’d reduce an Arsenal supporter to tears.
If there is one thing the Gunners are crying out in this January transfer window it’s attacking reinforcements and they can’t come soon enough.
It’s an issue that’s plagued Mikel Arteta’s men over the last month, with the north Londoners now having won just one of their last seven matches in all competitions. That continued against a dogged Liverpool side as Arsenal were dumped out of the FA Cup following a 2-0 defeat.
It’s difficult to justify a loss in the circumstances. Arteta’s side had countless chances, 18 of them in fact. However, only five of them were on target, while ‘four big chances’ – as classified by Sofascore – were missed.
It summed up Arsenal’s recent showings. Against West Ham they had 77 touches in the opposition’s penalty area without scoring and against Fulham last weekend, scored just once and laboured to defeat.
That was similar at the Emirates, although how they didn’t score is beyond any who bore witness to the game. It’s only right, therefore, that the club’s attack is criticised after such a result.
Kai Havertz’s performance in numbers vs Liverpool
With Gabriel Jesus ruled out of Sunday evening’s cup tie through a minor knee injury, Arteta decided to give Kai Havertz the honour of leading the line over Eddie Nketiah.
The German was chosen as the centre forward for the first time since the Community Shield and in the opening exchanges he played quite well. Havertz was a constant option, pressed well and got into the right positions.
However, his forward play was indecisive, toothless and lacking a golden touch. The former Chelsea star happened to pass up two of those aforementioned ‘big chances’.
In the opening 45 minutes he curled a shot from range straight at Alisson but the biggest of chances came towards the end of the half. He took the ball inside the Liverpool penalty area but couldn’t sort his feet out and only managed a tame effort straight at the goalkeeper.
Also boasting just a 67% pass success rate, this was a display that failed to set the world alight. That being said, he wasn’t the worst on show in Arsenal colours. Step forward Bukayo Saka.
Bukayo Saka’s performance vs Liverpool in numbers
Since breaking through the Hale End academy Bukayo Saka has been rather immune to criticism. Rightfully so. This is a player who finished the last campaign as Arsenal’s joint-top goalscorer. It’s also an individual with nine goals and 12 assists this term.
However, the £195k-per-week earner was in poor form at the Emirates this weekend and deserves an equal share of the blame.
Saka did score against Fulham last week, albeit from a matter of yards out, but it feels like the incisive finishing we’ve got so used to seeing from the 22-year-old has deserted him.
He now only has one goal in his last seven matches and sums up the dire patch Arsenal’s forward line finds themselves in. The England international passed up one of those earlier mentioned big chances, somehow firing over the bar from a cross in the second half when it looked easier to score.
That typified a display that was certainly not classic Saka who on more than one occasion saw his route to the penalty area blocked by an irremovable Joe Gomez who won four out of his seven contested ground duels.
Saka, on the other hand, failed with all four of his attempted dribbles and won just three of his ten ground duels. The right winger will of course have better days at the office but it must be a worry that even Arteta’s most reliable of commanders is finding life difficult at the moment.
The academy graduate must get better, as must his colleagues in the offensive line.
