Kai Havertz led Arsenal to a historic win against his former club Chelsea – and showed that he has changed his mind a little when it comes to celebrating goals.
The fact that Kai Havertz and Marvin Ducksch were seatmates on the German national team bus last autumn was clear for all to see at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday evening, even if nobody knew it. The Arsenal FC attacker scored his tenth and eleventh goals of the season in Arsenal’s 5-0 triumph over Chelsea and was not afraid to do what he found rather difficult as a child: he cheered.
“I always ran back very quickly, euphoric celebratory gestures were and are a rarity for me,” Havertz told the DFB Journal in February. “Every goal is always a sequence of many individual decisions in a very complex game. I love this dynamic in soccer and therefore see the goal more as a result. Just like an artist who paints a picture. It’s not the last stroke that counts. “
However, there is not much left of this credo, the “rarity” has become a habit. Back then, Havertz agreed with Ducksch to copy his harlequin cheer for a goal against Turkey (2:3), and because it worked after just five minutes, he not only kept it for his subsequent goals for Arsenal, but now even presented it against his former club, whom he had shot to the Champions League triumph in 2021: thumbs to the temples, tongue out.
Chelsea keep quiet about Havertz scorer – Arteta finds him “unbelievable “
Havertz’s brace showed the Blues, who promptly failed to name him as the goalscorer on X, that selling him to their local rivals in the summer was one of many wrong personnel decisions; and the Gunners, whose fans had given him a cool reception at the start of the season, that he has long since arrived. “He was unbelievable in all areas,” coach Mikel Arteta praised him euphorically afterwards, and not for the first time.
Even though he only got going in the second half and initially missed a great chance: Havertz is developing into the scoring number nine that Arteta had not intended him to be for a long time and that Chelsea have missed so much this season. With many intelligent runs and passes, Havertz also knows how to put his other qualities to good use. “He works hard, he deserves everything,” explained team-mate Thomas on Tuesday. “I hope he continues like this.”
Like his team-mates, Havertz has apparently shaken off the Champions League exit against FC Bayern, in which he failed to impress twice. The 2-0 win in Wolverhampton was followed by the highest ever win against Chelsea, keeping alive the dream of a first Premier League title in 20 years. Manchester City will have to win both of their remaining catch-up games to overtake them again
