Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta defended forward Kai Havertz following criticism over his recent goalscoring numbers. Arteta maintained full trust in the German international while refusing to judge his squad harshly following their midweek EFL Cup exit to Fleetwood Town.
Arteta maintains belief in Havertz amidst scoring lull
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta reiterated his total confidence in forward Kai Havertz despite a drop in recent attacking output. Havertz featured alongside Viktor Gyokeres during Arsenal's midweek penalty shootout defeat to fourth-tier Fleetwood Town.
Arteta dismissed suggestions that Havertz's current form is linked to previous physical injuries.
The Gunners boss remains confident his forward line will deliver at Anfield.
Manager explains natural efficiency dips in elite forwards
Speaking ahead of the trip to Liverpool, Arteta defended Havertz's overall contribution to team structure. "No, there's nothing to do with that. It's true that in terms of the numbers, we have dropped those numbers," Arteta explained regarding Havertz's fitness history.
"But he certainly had the chances as well to play, and that kind of form and that kind of efficiency with the front players, it's very common."
"Full trust on him and what he's doing," the Spanish manager affirmed.
Perspective required after shock midweek cup exit
Addressing the penalty defeat to Fleetwood, Arteta urged perspective when evaluating performances from Havertz and Gyokeres. "What happened in midweek is probably the beauty of this game... You play that game 100 times, you know the results 99% of the times," Arteta noted.
"But it's football and it happens, something magical and they went through."
"So I need to have a perspective on that, and obviously analyse but don't judge the players too hard, especially without understanding the context of it," he stressed.
Frontline reset ahead of high-stakes Liverpool battle
Havertz and Gyokeres remain in contention to lead the line against Liverpool on Sunday afternoon.
Arteta expects a sharp response from his attacking unit following midweek frustration.
Arsenal focus on securing three vital points to solidify their title ambition.
A sports journalist with nearly a decade of experience, beginning the professional journey at Indonesia's legendary Tabloid BOLA from 2017 until its final print edition in December 2018. Following that, joining GOAL, contributing as a freelance writer for FIFA, and working within the media department of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF). Alongside the journalism career, also active as a live play-by-play commentator for Indonesian football since 2017. Holds a bachelor's degree in History from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung.
Football Story
Footballing identity built on geography, heritage, and childhood obsession. Although the father played for a traditional rival club, nine years living in Bandung made Persib a spiritual home, sparked in 2006 by Thai goalkeeper Kosin Hathairattanakool and witnessing firsthand how deeply locals own the club. Globally, the first true love was Ronaldo and Inter Milan, enduring the heartbreak of near-misses during injury-plagued years. With Dutch roots in Rotterdam, making Feyenoord the club of choice, the Netherlands national team has always remained close to the heart, highlighted by the 2010 World Cup final, a live 2013 friendly against Indonesia, and Oranje Indonesia watch parties. Arjen Robben and Giovanni van Bronckhorst remain ultimate favorites, while Football Manager 2005 sparked a lasting admiration for Athletic Bilbao’s philosophy. Outside football, allegiance lies with the Chicago Bulls and Golden State Warriors through icons like Michael Jordan, Derrick Rose, and Stephen Curry.
Areas of Expertise
Areas of expertise span Indonesian football and Liga 1 data insights and unique features, alongside Southeast Asian and East Asian football landscapes covering Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, and Korea. Additional skills include digital and social media video content creation such as Instagram reels and podcasts, as well as player profiling, feature writing, live broadcasting, interviewing, photography, and multilingual communication in basic français and español .
Favourite Footballing Memory
Combining a passion for backpacking with professional assignments has made it possible to pursue two goals simultaneously. Meeting and interviewing various Indonesian players pursuing careers or currently based abroad, ranging from across Southeast Asia to Europe, has been an absolute privilege and honor. Traveling independently through the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, and Japan to track down and connect with Indonesian players competing abroad remains a truly cherished experience. Crafting interview content with them is a body of work that will always hold a special place in memory.
My All-Time XI
It’s tough to lock down a definitive starting XI, but the non-negotiables are Manuel Neuer or Rogério Ceni in goal; alongside Javier Zanetti, Sergio Ramos, N'Golo Kanté, Toni Kroos, Arjen Robben, Mo Salah, and Zlatan Ibrahimović. Juan Román Riquelme or Michael Laudrup most likely complete the tactical puzzle. While legends like Lothar Matthäus, Zinedine Zidane, and Ronaldo are impossible to overlook, they were left out simply because they feature in everyone else's lineup.
