Arsenal’s setup against Atalanta showed that Havertz simply cannot fill the Odegaard role | OneFootball

Arsenal will soon be gearing up to face Man City in the league, in what will certainly prove to be a huge clash in the title race early on. Both teams will be coming off the back of 0-0 draws in their opening games of the new champions league campaign to Italian sides, with us in particular putting on one of our poorest displays in a while against Atalanta. This was game that we should have lost considering the gunners were lacking any piece of imagination in their attack, and with thanks for the penalty heroics from David Raya in goal for us.

We started off brightly but as soon as we let our opponents grow into the game, we struggled to get back from there. They never really threatened to score but it was our own deficiencies in attack that could have proved fatal because if they had scored, we wouldn’t have broken down that stubborn Atalanta defense.

If any of you didn’t think we’ll miss Odegaard for a second, then this game will change your mind in an instant. We lacked fluidity in our poorly constructed attacks which was bordering on being disjointed for most of the game. The starting lineup didn’t help us much in suppressing our Captain’s absence, with Havertz and Jesus both starting in the game.

Alsomwith Rice and Partey in the starting lineup it meant that Havertz would be the one taking the responsibility of filling in for the Norwegian. And as we all know he did a very poor job, he struggled to combine well with Saka with him even playing a different role to the one we’ve become accustomed to from Odegaard. The German often played as a second striker with him also switching with Bukayo Saka at times on the right.

This did not work however because Havertz and Odegaard are worlds apart in terms of the technique required to fill that role, it’s not his fault however given that he’s shined and put in his best Arsenal displays in the center forward position throughout this year. Taking him out of that position and into Ødegaard’s will only risk his confidence draining like the way we saw in the first few months of his Arsenal career.

This means that Leandro Trossard is the best option to deputize for the injured Odegaard, just look at how his great technical ability made a little difference when he came on against Atalanta.

Man City are up next and I hope Arteta doesn’t utilize Havertz in a similar position, I really do. The game will be a different one though because we’ll need all the physicality we’ll get in the middle of the park, but we shouldn’t sacrifice our ability to remain fluid also.

With that being said what is the best position for Havertz to play in the game against City, Midfield or center forward?

KENNETH BENJAMIN.

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