Arsenal returned to the top of the table thanks to a late goal by Kai Havertz at the Community Stadium. After the 1-0 win over a stubborn Brentford, the German faced questions from TNT Sports.
Here’s what he had to say…
On scoring the winner…
Yeah, it feels amazing. You know, I’ve been working hard for these moments and today I got it paid back and I’m just happy to have the team with that.
On the goal…
Yeah, I mean it was a brilliant goal and a brilliant pass as well. We train this routine quite a lot in training as well so I know Bukayo or Martin, they love to play these balls, so it was a good goal.
On not having it easy since joining Arsenal…
No, of course. Football is always hard work and you know nothing comes from itself. You have to work and have to keep believing. I know it was tough for me the last couple of months but I tried to put my ego aside as well because the team is the most important thing.
On the Arsenal fans backing him…
I’ve been thankful, so thankful for these guys as well because I know it’s always hard when the new signing come and they pay a lot of money for you so they sometimes think it goes quite easy and quite fast, but yeah I’m just thankful for all of them to keep supporting me.
The man
Waka waka eh eh…
Top of the table. Kai effect!
Thanks to our Kairopractor, the table is properly aligned!
We’ve not hit anything near full tilt yet and only one of our new signings is convincing – we’re half chips and half rice and we’re still top of the league
I’m not sure what more people want. More goals and panache I guess. This team is a defensive colossus right now, and top of the league despite getting absolutely robbed at Chelsea and at Newcastle.
Attacking flair is great, who doesn’t love it, but it’s clean sheets that win championships.
We’re no way near hitting our potential yet – this is a positive
I hear where you’re coming from but I think this is a bit of a misconception born out of the football we played in the first half of last season, which was as much a product of teams having a go at us as it was us wanting to attack. Teams are playing us differently now, very tough, very conservative. Arteta’s answer has been to play a style that gives them nothing to latch on to in order to avoid the type of game as the 2-2 at West Ham last year: chaotic, duel oriented, end to end. Instead he… Read more »
Hahahaha Two and a Half Men
His confidence needed that, and regardless of how sheepish he looked recieving applause from the traveling fans, a little embarrassment today could be a huge boon for us down the line.
He is an intelligent guy which is not an advantage as a striker. You need to have the memory of a goldfish and just get angrier and more determined the more you miss. Kai doesn’t have that mentality. He needs to feel wanted, safe and trusted and didn’t have any of that at Chelsea. But with Mikel and the staff he’s starting to feel at home. You can see him enjoying his football more and more and his talent is starting to shine through. There is a lot more to come from this player.
Love your perspective Dr Gooner!
It’s always nice to see your left back score a late goal
This is the goal – the style of goal from a left 8 we have been expecting and waiting … and who cares it’s taken a few months ?! We’re top of the league.
Fewest goals conceded – players returning from injury and with a generous fixture list in the next 3 weeks !
Perfect reaction after the boring interlull
To be fair I think he scored something similar in pre-season but it never seemed to happen for him in the league games.
Superb! I knew he’d grab the winner so pleased for him and the arsenal.
Humble lad. Well done Kai! We bloody love ya!
Buzzing for the boy, and me and all Arsenal massive
Level headed grown up interview swell
when he came on, i said “if you ever gonna score for us, now would be a damn good time” so i guess he must’ve heard me! he did look very sharp for the first time with us today and for the last 5 matches he’s been looking better and better in each game, so fingers crossed his upward trajectory keeps going. a couple more goals like that and i’ll happily forget these first three months!
Slightly unrelated, but Owen Hargreaves was on point. “Kai is so effective in so many positions that he’s like a Swiss army knife, being used as a left back / center forward / no 10.
Someone needs to help him specialize and he’ll be even more of a lethal threat.”
Mikel Arteta is mounding him into a world class “interior” second striker from the right or the left but with the ability to play anywhere if required. He will be our 196 cm Bernardo. This is just the beginning. Just wait for years 2-3 in Mikel’s lab…
On second thought, more like 196 cm Julian Alvarez, but with Bernardo’s positional flexibility. Wins duels, holds up the ball, hard to tackle, scores goals… and can do all that from anywhere.
“Alleskroner” is what they called him in Germany, a guy who can do everything.
Alleskönner *
That’s a Marouane Fellaini type of player. Being everywhere, winning duels. If he only adds offense he will be unstoppable.
Yes it’s the type of role Moyes is currently using for Soucek, but it just looks very different in a team built around control rather than duels and transitions. It’s much more about timing of runs and anticipating moves, and also requires more involvement in buildup. Soucek is merely reliable and effective Kai can be THE standard in that role in a more sophisticated system if he really applies himself and perfects it because he can be a difference maker in the air and with his feet in the box or outside it.
I’d like to apologize everytime I roasted him.
Hope he could build on and grow on that goal, sometimes he looked like a man so bereft and with no confidence.
Yeah, I’m thinking all the roasting probably didn’t help…..
Sometimes I’d send him a message to tell him how poorly I rated him as I thought it may boost his confidence
Glad he finally got that run of play goal and what a way to get it sending us top of the league in the closing minutes. I think he will be best for us as a late game sub coming in to give a different option whether we have the lead, are tied or trying to come from behind. Can certainly make his impact in 15 minutes or so going all out vs playing more passively when he starts.