Gabby Agbonlahor has hit out at Kai Havertz for looking ‘lost’ and running around the pitch in ‘slow motion’ following Arsenal’s 2-1 defeat to RC Lens in the Champions League.
The major talking point from that game wasn’t the defeat, but the injury to Bukayo Saka.
Many Arsenal fans would have been kicking and screaming once they saw the 22-year-old hobble off the pitch in the first-half because the signs have been there during this past week that he is hitting that red danger zone.
Yet, Mikel Arteta continued to play him, with Agbonlahor suggesting that Bukayo Saka is overworked because players like Kai Havertz can’t perform, as he told talkSPORT (04/10/23 7:40 pm).
For a while now, many have expressed worry at the England star’s workload, and now, Arsenal might have to pay the price.
That’s the last thing fans want to hear with a very crucial Manchester City clash coming up on Sunday, as ex-Aston Villa striker Agbonlahor let rip at Havertz.
Havertz criticism
“Eventually it was going to happen to Saka and it has now,” said Agbonlahor. “He has backheeled the ball. Definitely done a hamstring injury.
“But then it doesn’t help when you got a player like Havertz that runs around the pitch in slow motion and looks like he is lost.
“It’s these players that are making Arteta have to start Saka because he knows he is the main man to score goals.”
Arsenal without Saka
If it so happens to be that Arsenal’s star man on the right is on the sidelines for a period of time, then the rest of the squad needs to step up.
From Havertz to Reiss Nelson, the spotlight will be on these guys now because Arsenal are going to seriously need it – Thierry Henry has sent a message to them.
But Mikel Arteta can’t complain too much because Manchester City are going to be without John Stones, Rodri, Kevin de Bruyne and Bernardo Silva.
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