What one guy loses, another gains. On Tuesday night, Kai Havertz scored twice to lead Arsenal to a 5-0 victory over former club Chelsea in a Premier League thriller under the Emirates Stadium floodlights. The German was at the heart of everything that went well for the Gunners that night, and as he continues to thrive in red and white, he insists on repaying Mikel Arteta’s faith in him with interest.
Havertz signed for the club in June 2023 for £65 million, but his dismal form at Chelsea raised concerns among Gunners fans, who worried the misfiring German would continue to demonstrate Premier League inadaptability in north London. However, as the weeks pass, the ex-Bayer Leverkusen wonderkid has shown to be invaluable.
Tuesday night provided the ideal opportunity for Havertz to illustrate how far he has come since leaving the club. On that front, the German could not have done better, scoring a brace in a 9/10 performance.
After shining so brightly against his previous squad, now seems like an appropriate time to reflect on Havertz of the past and Havertz of the present. With that in mind, his current season has been statistically compared to his finest goalscoring season at Chelsea, when he scored eight league goals in the 2021/22 season.\
Shooting Stats
Havertz improving in goal threat
Kai Havertz 2021/22 vs 2023/24 – Shooting
Statistic (Per 90)
2021/22
2023/24
Goals
0.4
0.5
Non-Penalty Goals
0.4
0.4
Penalty Goals
0
0.1
Shots (excl. blocks)
2.1
1.7
Shot Accuracy (%)
56.1
55.81
Conversion Rate (%)
19.51
25.58
Havertz has already surpassed his highest tally in England, scoring 11 Premier League goals this season, with his second-best total being eight in Chelsea’s 2021/22 season. While that figure shows he is significantly superior in front of goal in red and white, the ‘Per 90’ record suggests that productivity hasn’t been too different (although it should be noted that he has occasionally been asked to play in midfield for the Gunners).
Despite playing four fewer games in the Chelsea season, the 2021/22 statistics nevertheless outperform the current campaign in terms of shots per game and shot accuracy. Nonetheless, these are just marginal triumphs of +0.20 and +0.4, and while the German appears to have been more involved in Chelsea’s assaults, his conversion rate has improved under Arteta this season.
Havertz has scored on 25.58% of his shots this season. In contrast, a 19.51% success rate in 2021/22 reveals the German’s evolution from a wasteful assault thwarter to a more consistent talisman for the Gunners. Finally, no one recalls who had the most shots in a game; what matters is who scored the goals. And it’s safe to say Havertz has been doing just that, especially in recent weeks, as he has been directly involved in ten goals in his previous ten outings.
Furthermore, 0.5 goals per game is slightly higher than his Blues ratio of 0.4. Naturally a playmaker, Havertz has shown signs of improving as a goal-getter this term, even if it’s not as steep of a rise as Gunners fans first thought. Nonetheless, Havertz’s entire playing style is where he stands out the most at Arsenal.
Team Play Stats
Havertz has transformed into incredible player in all areas of the pitch
Kai Havertz 2021/22 vs 2023/24 – Team Play
Statistic (Per 90)
2021/22
2023/24
Assists
0.2
0.2
Chances Created
1
1.5
Passing Accuracy (%)
81.35
82.54
Long Pass Accuracy (%)
72.73
42.86
Crossing Accuracy (%)
25
18.18
Dribbling Success (%)
42.86
45.16
Aerial Duel Success (%)
42.22
50
Ground Duel Success (%)
37.04
41.9
Interceptions
0.2
0.7
Ball Recoveries
3.1
4.3
Havertz, as previously said, played a key role in Arsenal’s 5-0 victory over Chelsea. He scored twice in 10 minutes for the Gunners and could have had a hat-trick if he had converted one of his two golden openings in the opening half. However, the German has proven to be an important part of Arteta’s side’s title hopes in ways other than scoring goals.
Playing mostly as a false 9 for his new club, Havertz is delegated the role of a creative spine. Since his days under Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter, his unwavering front-foot pressing, ability to foresee the opposition’s next play, and overall passing vision have improved dramatically.
Although he was told to play deeper as a striker for Chelsea, his current boss has discovered the 25-year-old’s latent potential as an ultimate team player. Statistically, Havertz won all but two of the ten categories this term. In the 2023/24 season, the German international recovered more balls, made more interceptions, and created more chances than in his greatest Chelsea season, all while outperforming in ground duels, aerial duels, dribbles, and passes.
Havertz’s most recent progress has been highlighted by his ability to contribute to all phases of play. After the uncertainty of his arrival eight miles north of Stamford Bridge, he has put a clean pair of heels on his tired past by making up for lost time at the Emirates.
Verdict
The real Kai Havertz belongs to Arsenal
Overall, Chelsea’s Havertz outperforms his contemporary version in four out of 16 shooting and team-play statistics. This serves as a barometer for how far the midfielder/striker has progressed since his turbulent time with the Blues in west London.
Although there appears to be room for improvement in the finishing department, there is no denying that Havertz has improved ostensibly since swapping the blue shirt for the red and white, and it is believed that he is still far from his peak – even after exorcising his demons in the 2023/24 season.
With Gunners fans dancing the night away to his Shakira parody less than 24 hours ago, the hope is that Havertz continues to show signs of the wonderkid status he previously held at Bayer Leverkusen. Despite being 25 years old, nothing seemed to be halting his trailblazing trek to new heights as his club’s horizon expands and his former club mourns yet another transfer error.