Following the club’s 2-0 loss to Manchester United in a preseason friendly in New York, Mikel Arteta has reply to comments of the team lacking physicality in midfield with Kai Havertz being a part of the three.
Havertz, who made his first Arsenal start alongside Declan Rice and captain, Martin Ødegaard in the middle of the park was the center of criticism, with many fans not even convinced of what he offers from the start.
“We’re going to have to find the right balance as well, but a year ago Granit could never play that as an attacking midfielder. So let’s try to get the work done.” Arteta said.
The Spaniard also went on to defend the fact that three players were making their first start for the club in the game, stating that with time, they’ll all gel together.
“It’s the first time we played with four players inside, and three of them had never played for us. So three out of four, they never played together ever. So, tranquillo! Day-by-day, keep doing the right things, give people opportunity to settle them into the right things and we will be fine.”
“You use a word that is ‘physical’. So if I put Granit and Kai and I ask you who is more physical? What would you say? Kai is one metre 91, so it depends what you mean physical. Physical is (also) to run, running behind the forward, to tackle. It depends.
“So we will fit in with the qualities that we have, that’s for sure. And the good thing is that we have options as well. When we have a game that is more physical, we can become very physical as well. We have the right options.” he concluded.
Arsenal continues their pre-season tour of the US with a game against Barcelona inside the Sofi Stadium, California in the early hours of Thursday.
Kehinde Hassan Afolabi
