Arsenal suffered a bitter defeat in a match where the absence of German star Kai Havertz was strongly felt. The Emirates Stadium witnessed a game that could be considered a shоck as Arsenal lost to West Ham United with a final score of 0-2, thereby relinquishing their top position to Liverpool.

In reality, Mikel Arteta’s team exerted great pressure on the opponent’s half. They had 75% ball possession and unleashed 30 shots (8 on target). However, all these impressive statistics became meaningless against a West Ham side that capitalized on their chances.

Arsenal once again showcased their issues in front of the opponent’s goal. Furthermore, the absence of Kai Havertz greatly affected the team’s playing style.

The German player was suspended due to accumulating enough yellow cards. Therefore, Arteta had to use Leandro Trossard (later substituted by Emile Smith Rowe) to fill the void left by Havertz.

Trossard was not a bad choice. However, the former Brighton player has not been in his best form in recent matches. Trossard was rated 7 points by Sofa Score, a score only higher than Oleksandr Zinchenko.

In reality, he played fairly well before being substituted for Smith Rowe. However, in terms of defensive support and aerial duels, the Belgian player did not meet the requirements.

One of Havertz’s strongest attributes is his speed and physicality, which allows him to contribute both in аttаck and defense consistently. Statistics show that the Chelsea recruit averages 3.1 ball recoveries per game and wins 47% of his duals.

Arteta created a deception regarding Havertz’s absence. Havertz is proving his importance to Arsenal. His presence would have allowed Arsenal to take more risks when conceding a goal. Maximizing the pressure could have unsettled West Ham’s defense, providing opportunities to exploit their mistakes.

Additionally, Havertz’s ability to choose positions and his heading skills have become trademarks that can make a difference.

With the German star on the field, he would have exchanged positions with Gabriel Jesus. This would have prevented Arsenal fans from lamenting the header that Һit the crossbar from the Brazilian striker.

Another notable situation occurred in the 80th minute. Arsenal fans would surely miss Havertz because if he had been the recipient of Martin Odegaard’s cross instead of Smith Rowe, the scoreline could have been different as the number 10 lacked the height and leaping ability to make contact with the ball.

From a contract that received much criticism, Havertz has gradually proven himself, and now he is an extremely important factor in Arsenal’s lineup.

Although the German star still has some flaws, he has at least demonstrated his suitability to the team’s playing style. In the upcoming fixtures, Havertz’s return will bring great hope to help Arsenal secure all 3 points against Fulham.