Kai Havertz

[Andersons Dietician]

Had to double check I was in the Kai Havertz thread with all this McT nonsense in here.

Really waiting for a credible source to link us so we can fire a thread up in the transfer spec but I’m guessing The Daily Star doesn’t count?

80mil which was quoted in the article honestly given the end of his last season seems a bit of a bargain price to me. Was honestly expecting something around 100mil or more. Recall him starting slow last season as well then back end of the season he was banging in goals but the last few times I’ve caught Leverkusen he hasn’t been on the pitch. Injured? Or just benched?

 

[Zehner]

Hahahaha true He's been average this season, sad to see but I don't think the constant tactical shifting of Bosz has helped as well. Sometimes he plays RW sometimes CAM, Leverkusen on a whole are a mess.

Only he wasn't shifted. Havertz always plays centrally, no matter what. He's just going through a patch of bad form and misses his partner in crime. Still, his performances are average but not bad at all. It's the expectations that make him look bad.

That aside, I think you underestimate Bosz. Great coach. He's not to blame for our disappointing season so far. We were the better team in almost every game we played but stupid mistakes ruined many rather good matches.

 

[DWelbz19]

Wish he would talk about his plans on how to accomplish something worthwile on the pitch again, instead of talking about Bayern vs Madrid vs Barca.

Second season syndrome for both he and Sancho?

 

[andersj]

McTom doesn’t really pass the ball period. He isn’t a creative midfielder. He certainly would not have improved either of those sides, especially Liverpool’s.

Do you consider Henderson, Milner og Winjaldum «creative midfielders»? Great passers of the ball?

They are useful tools. Great at protecting their back four, covering their attackers back and giving them the ball. Useful in Klopps system. But neither is great footballers.

Would be interesting to see how people viewed them prior to Klopp.

 

[hasanejaz88]

Second season syndrome for both he and Sancho?

Havertz is into his third season as a regular in the team, his first two were fantastic so there is no doubt that he is very talented. I'm sure he'l improve as the season goes on.

 

[do.ob]

Second season syndrome for both he and Sancho?

For Havertz it's a lot about the team. Leverkusen often play laboured heavy possession football, without a lot of penetration or urgency. Opponents have little trouble keeping Havertz marked and in that context he neither has the rapid pace, nor the dribbling skills to make a difference. He needs space/momvent around him and he doesn't get it, so he's fairly anonymous most of the time.

Sancho is doing well, but not as great as his G+A stats might lead some to believe.

 

[Zehner]

For Havertz it's a lot about the team. Leverkusen often play laboured heavy possession football, without a lot of penetration or urgency. Opponents have little trouble keeping Havertz marked and in that context he neither has the rapid pace, nor the dribbling skills to make a difference. He needs space/momvent around him and he doesn't get it, so he's fairly anonymous most of the time.

Sancho is doing well, but not as great as his G+A stats might lead some to believe.

Havertz is perfect for possession oriented football. He even said that himself in the interview posted above. Thing is, he worked really well with Brandt and his replacement Amiri is doing okay but not great so the link up play doesn't work. And because there's aldo one dangerous player in midfield, he often gets marked out of the game. We are producing enough chances though but Havertz doesn't get at the end of them and IMO that's also down to himself a fair bit.

Hope Paulinho is eventualy replacing Amiri. Would help Havertz a lot.

 

[do.ob]

Havertz is perfect for possession oriented football. He even said that himself in the interview posted above. Thing is, he worked really well with Brandt and his replacement Amiri is doing okay but not great so the link up play doesn't work. And because there's aldo one dangerous player in midfield, he often gets marked out of the game. We are producing enough chances though but Havertz doesn't get at the end of them and IMO that's also down to himself a fair bit.

Hope Paulinho is eventualy replacing Amiri. Would help Havertz a lot.

I'm not saying that Havertz can't play in a possession heavy system, but it needs to be working well irrespective of him, because as is becoming increasingly obvious at the moment he's not (yet) capable of taking charge on his own, when the team is dysfunctional.

Sancho for example is completely different in that regard, he also depends on his team to a certain degree, but with his dribbling skills and explosiveness he can always contribute something on his own.

 

[Zehner]

Best compilation of him I've seen so far. Only scenes from this season, fast cutting and every second worth watching

 

[thepolice123]

Is he a similar type of player to Pogba?

 

[Zehner]

Is he a similar type of player to Pogba?

I don't think so. They have some similarities as they're both tall midfielders with good scoring stats and great passing skills but their playstyle is very different, IMO. Despite his height, Havertz isn't really a physical player. He tries to avoid contact while Pogba sometimes downright searches it with his tendency to shield the ball a lot. My impression is that Havertz tries to solve such situations through subtle passes or one twos and prefers to maintain a certain distance to his markers while Pogba uses his upper body strength a lot. Pogba also takes much more long shots than Havertz.

 

[2 man midfield]

I think he’d be a bit like Mata if he came to us. His quality is obvious, but we’d never quite get the best out of him due to how we play.

 

[thepolice123]

I don't think so. They have some similarities as they're both tall midfielders with good scoring stats and great passing skills but their playstyle is very different, IMO. Despite his height, Havertz isn't really a physical player. He tries to avoid contact while Pogba sometimes downright searches it with his tendency to shield the ball a lot. My impression is that Havertz tries to solve such situations through subtle passes or one twos and prefers to maintain a certain distance to his markers while Pogba uses his upper body strength a lot. Pogba also takes much more long shots than Havertz.

Thank you. What do you think is his best position?

 

[Zehner]

Thank you. What do you think is his best position?

I'd say it's the 8 in a possession oriented 4-3-3 or the 10 in a 4-2-3-1.

But hard to say how things will turn out. He just recently had an exceptional performance as a false 9. That position may be the best since it also utilizes his scoring potential. His finishing quality is absolutely brillant and his timing in and around the box is amazing for a 20 year old. Those abilities could be wasted if he was to play as a pure CM but on the other hand his ability to control a game and initiate attacks would be wasted as a central striker or winger. The false 9 could be a very good hybrid of both worlds.

 

[arthurka]

He is an awesome player.. anyone who buys him will get a special talent.

 

[Red Pavan]

Best compilation of him I've seen so far. Only scenes from this season, fast cutting and every second worth watching

Reminds me of Ozil

 

[Bebestation]

If he does come then could he play out on the RM with a left foot?

Does he have pace and finishing ability or is he a creator that needs to play centrally?

A left footed RW/RM is something we could use full stop.

 

[RUCK4444]

If he does come then could he play out on the RM with a left foot?

Does he have pace and finishing ability or is he a creator that needs to play centrally?

A left footed RW/RM is something we could use full stop.

Is there any link to us? I thought he was Liverpool bound?

Would love him here.

 

[Bebestation]

Is there any link to us? I thought he was Liverpool bound?

Would love him here.

No idea, theres some links but I never know what's real or not.

I don't see why we would go for him just centrally- unless he can at least cover the RM slot and Pogba goes because a left footed RM is absolutely essential in my opinion.

Doubt it though- does he play those positions?

 

[mwake]

German Mason Mount?

 

[Zehner]

If he does come then could he play out on the RM with a left foot?

Does he have pace and finishing ability or is he a creator that needs to play centrally?

A left footed RW/RM is something we could use full stop.

Playing him on the wing is like playing, I don't know, Özil, Modric, de Bruyne, Kroos or Iniesta on the wing. Yes, they played there occasionally at some points during their careers and yes, they did quite well back then but it never got out the best of them. When looking at the team sheet, Havertz was occasionally used as a RW for us but if you watched the games carefully you'll release that he never really played the wing but primarily occupied spaces in the center. He is never the player providing width. If he gravitates towards the left, he usually has a player in front of him. He initiates attacks from there the same way Iniesta or Modric drift to the left/right to receive the ball but he's not the one going one on one with the LB all the time.

He's got great finishing though and is a lot faster than most people think. For quite some time he held the record for the fastest recorded player in the Bundesliga this (or last) season.

 

[Bebestation]

Playing him on the wing is like playing, I don't know, Özil, Modric, de Bruyne, Kroos or Iniesta on the wing. Yes, they played there occasionally at some points during their careers and yes, they did quite well back then but it never got out the best of them. When looking at the team sheet, Havertz was occasionally used as a RW for us but if you watched the games carefully you'll release that he never really played the wing but primarily occupied spaces in the center. He is never the player providing width. If he gravitates towards the left, he usually has a player in front of him. He initiates attacks from there the same way Iniesta or Modric drift to the left/right to receive the ball but he's not the one going one on one with the LB all the time.

He's got great finishing though and is a lot faster than most people think. For quite some time he held the record for the fastest recorded player in the Bundesliga this (or last) season.

Ah okay thanks mate. Seems a very lanky player as well.

I don't see where he fits in at United due to him being a player who deserves to have a starting role and maybe further up.

I can see at him at Liverpool since they have still not replaced Coutinho and since they have been knocked out the CL they may decide they need something different again instead of 3 Henderson's & wijnaldum.

 

[Rob]

Thanks for enlightening us, @Zehner. He sounds exactly like the kind of guy we could use to put some spark in our midfield.

Does he have a release clause and if so, how much is it?

 

[Zehner]

Thanks for enlightening us, @Zehner. He sounds exactly like the kind of guy we could use to put some spark in our midfield.

Does he have a release clause and if so, how much is it?

No release clazluse, you have to win the bidding war

 

[Acrobat7]

Ah okay thanks mate. Seems a very lanky player as well.

I don't see where he fits in at United due to him being a player who deserves to have a starting role and maybe further up.

I can see at him at Liverpool since they have still not replaced Coutinho and since they have been knocked out the CL they may decide they need something different again instead of 3 Henderson's & wijnaldum.

You can watch him in the “Müller“ role behind Lewy and with Sané and Gnabry on the wings at Bayern next season.
Whenever that season starts...

 

[Zehner]

You can watch him in the “Müller“ role behind Lewy and with Sané and Gnabry on the wings at Bayern next season.
Whenever that season starts...

For 80 million and we can be happy that we're allowed to still see him in the Bundesliga I guess?

Damn, I hope so much he signs for another club. Seeing him in a Bayern shirt would really ruin the Bundesliga for two or three seasons for me.

 

[Rob]

No release clazluse, you have to win the bidding war

Oh well, we haven’t really spent anything lately, so should have enough in the bank.

 

[cptkeane1993]

Thank you for sharing the YouTube video, great compilation.

Looks like he has also captained Bayer on a few occasions. Which would be in line with our transfer strategy of getting in not just players with quality but where available/possible, players with leadership and strong characters as well, as these are the ones you need some of which in a team to tide through the rough patches.

He looks like he may be quite expensive though, not sure how much budget we'd have not because Man Utd has no money but due to FFP requirements to have to break even, i.e. not be loss-making (we didn't make terribly much profit last year).