Okay, so let’s admit from the off that calling Julian Nagelsmann a “legend” stretches the definition more than a bit. Still, he’s enough of a manager that he’s collected numerous honours and trophies despite his young age: DFB-Pokal runners-up with RB Leipzig in 2021, a Bundesliga title in 2022 and two DFL-Supercups with Bayern (2021 and 2022), VDV Coach of the Season in 2017, German Football Manager of the year in 2017, and a third-place finish in the UEFA Men’s Coach of the Year in 2020. Long story short: he seems to know a thing or two about football. It’s not for nothing that Bayern Munich signed him in 2021 for a world record managerial transfer worth €25 million (£21.7 million) and that Die Mannschaft turned to him to revive their performances after Hamsi Flick’s dismal tenure.
His bona fides established, let’s look at what Nagelsmann said about Havertz:
Kai has made a big leap forward in the past two years. He has the potential to be world class in many positions. He runs a lot and has become very clever. Sometimes he’s a bit unlucky when it comes to finishing. The vice captaincy is good for him.
To say that he has made a big leap forward in the last two years is quite telling. Yes, he was Chelsea’s lead scorer a year ago. However, most if not all of that progress has come since he joined the Arsenal—and most if not all of that progress has come since February when he went on that rampage that saw him score 9 goals and add 9 assists in his last 14 appearances. Since awakening from his post-Chelsea stupor, Havertz has rediscovered the kind of form he showed at Leverkusen, the kind of form that earned him comparisons to Özil, Ballack, Kroos, Müller, and (my favourite despite unsavoury assocations) Berbatov. It would take some time for him to reach any of those levels, but early returns on this second season with us see green shoots emerging.
17 goal involvements in 14 appearances is a stunning, almost Haalandian (Haaland-esque?) level of performance. Extrapolated out over 38 matches, Havertz would be involved in a jaw-dropping 46 goals. To be clear, though, a certain regression to the mean is probably inevitable. Still, to see him involved in “only” 30 goals would still stand as a massive improvement on his performance from last season and, on its own, might even be enough to see us win the Prem.
He’s leapt out of the gates with two goals and an assist in our first three matches, showing greater confidence in himself and stronger chemistry with his teammates. We were roundly mocked for signing him for £65 million—but to see him emerge as a kind of false nine suggests that we got a bargain, signing a player at a position that, these days, commands a fee upwards of £150m if not more.
While we may not see the jaw-dropping stats that I just suggested two paragraphs prior, we might just see a certain swagger emerge: more intelligent runs (in frequency and quality), stronger link-up play, better pressing, more-aggressive tackles, more-incisive passing, better finishing…in other words, the kind of play that we’d see from a player who believes in himself and has the respect and support of his mates. Will he be in the fight for a Golden Boot? Not if Haaland collects hat-tricks the way some of us collect postage stamps (look that one up, kids). Still, if he can find anything like the form he showed during the run-in, he’ll help us collect a trophy far more valuable.
Let Haaland have the Golden Boot. With Havertz leading the line, we chase something bigger.
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