Kai Havertz enjoyed a winning campaign at Arsenal this season and it is now translating itself on the international stage.
The 25-year-old established himself as Arsenal’s main number nine during the second half of the recently concluded season and he is now deploying that role for Germany.
The Euro 2024 hosts, after winning their opening game 5-1 against Scotland, secured another victory against Hungary on Wednesday to all but book their ticket to the knockout stages.
Kai Havertz started as the number nine, playing just under an hour, before the versatile Arsenal star was subbed off for Leroy Sane.
Germany ended up securing a 2-0 win, with rising Bayern Munich star Jamal Musiala and former Manchester City player Ilkay Gündoğan getting the goals.
Darren Bent reacted to Havertz’s performance and how the service to the player dropped off as the game went on.
The former Premier League striker, who is a boyhood Arsenal fan, shared that Havertz was ‘causing so many problems’ early on in the game and then ‘they weren’t giving him the service’, as he told talkSPORT (19/06/24 at 6:30 pm).
Havertz scored from the penalty spot during Germany’s Euro 2024 opener, but he couldn’t add to his tally against a Hungary team that put up a much better fight than the Scots.
You suspect that the former Chelsea man will continue in his role when Germany face Switzerland for their final group game on Sunday.
Arsenal star Kai Havertz starts as Germany beat Hungary
“Do you know what, he has been in the game,” said Bent. “There have been times when he had the opportunity where he forced a really good save from Peter Gulácsi. He ran in behind, got his shot off and used his body really well.
“I would say in the last 15 minutes (of the first half). They stopped playing to his strengths because what they were doing is getting the ball, he is dropping in behind, Kai Havertz is running in behind and he was causing them so many problems. But, for whatever reason, they have stopped doing that. I still think he is doing okay. Getting hold of the ball and making things happen.
After Havertz was subbed: “I thought Kai Havertz’s movement was really good. They weren’t giving him the service.”
Kai Havertz under Julian Nagelsmann at Euro 2024
This is a positive start for the Arsenal man and his team who are looking very strong during the early stages of the competition.
Before Julian Nagelsmann arrived, the Germans were all over the shop and suffering heavy defeats at home to Japan.
READ MORE: Jarrod Bowen wowed by ‘clever’ Euro 2024 defender Arsenal are interested in
But the former Bayern Munich boss has turned things around, including getting the best out of Havertz, just like Mikel Arteta has done at club level.
There is still a long way to go because their real test will come during the knockout stages when they come up against a team either better than them or on their level on paper.
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