Havertz salary seems high until you notice that he was earning just a little more than Sterling and Zinny combined. Though they were definitely earning too much. Jesus won’t be offered anywhere near that next time, though I can’t see us keeping him.
Irrelevant to the Havertz debate but a top earner on only £280k per week is pretty impressive for a club of our size.
This was my point. I consider Havertz to be more of a attacker or forward. A false nine I would call a attacker or forward too. But we all interpret it differently I guess.
Interesting how a game like FM separate these two and consider there to be a difference. Always wondered why. Would you call a player like Inzaghi a forward or a striker? Bergkamp?
I would say no. Saka is a forward, but he isn’t a striker. I would say that a striker is a type of forward, a sub-category within the wider category of forward.
The main issue with Havertz for me is when he gets those glaring opportunities to score crucial goals he’s been found wanting last season. Man Utd in the FA Cup was such a hit to our season. He’s still good but I wouldn’t describe him as clinical enough.
He does a lot of things really well up top and is a capable goalscorer but I’d say Merino actually has the better shooting and finishing instincts albeit less mobile than Havertz. For me he’s a key member of a 18 man set up, but an out and out goal threat was so needed. I don’t remember us trying that in Arteta’s reign so far.
I get it for wide players. But for central players like Havertz, Inzaghi & Bergkamp, I don’t see the difference between a ‘forward’ & ‘striker’. They are both two words for the same role.
Bergkamp could also be called an AM because he tends to have a forward/striker in front of him.
Oh my days, this reminds me of debates about Totti, KdB, Ozil, Kaka, Messi and other players that played a lot as a 10, if they’re considered midfielders or forwards.
That’s why a signing like Gyokeres for me is what we need now. I’ve said before I’m usually for the build up merchants but I think having both options will do us best in the near future.
I saw a a long comp doing the rounds yesterday on Twitter that showed a bunch of our counters last season.
We were so wasteful.
Take into account how many points we lost last season from winning positions, if he can help kill some of those games off, that’d be worth it alone.
Maybe Martinelli can learn a thing or two because he kept ruining opportunities with what should be his bread and butter.
Now that the season is over I am well at peace with not winning the league. I might be wrong but I haven’t found myself looking back over the summer thinking what if.
What if? We were a million miles off challenging mate there’s nothing to what if about at all for the league. Now the Champions League is a different matter altogether.