Why shy-guy Kai Havertz has become the Arsenal scapegoat

Kai Havertz will walk into Arsenal's training HQ on Tuesday morning looking like he doesn't have a care in the world.

The reality is rather different. Havertz would not be at the top of his profession without making sacrifices. But it is also true that he can leave those around him wanting more.

Not necessarily because they are disappointed with his output. Indeed, Havertz has scored 12 goals this season - just two short of last term's tally. At Chelsea, he scored the winner against Manchester City in their Champions League triumph in 2021. Yet you'd often find Thomas Tuchel wanting to give Havertz a shake. Mikel Arteta has harboured similar sentiments, too.

During their time together at Stamford Bridge, it is said that Tuchel took on a personal crusade to coax the best out of Havertz. Not because he was disappointed in his performances but rather that the German saw the potential in his countryman.

'This guy has the body, talent and head,' said Tuchel in 2021. 'He has everything to play at the very top level.'

Tuchel, behind the scenes, challenged Havertz to show the world what he saw: not only an almost flawless technician but a player with the roar synonymous with the lion on the Chelsea badge he wore on his chest.

But Havertz is naturally laid back. Quiet and assuming - to a point, shy. You will struggle to find a member of staff at Chelsea or Arsenal who will have a bad word to say about Havertz the man. 'Respectful, thoughtful and sweet,' said one source.

That persona, however, doesn't always reflect positively on those on the outside looking in. Laid back can look uninterested. Quiet and unassuming can appear aloof.

While Tuchel never saw that sort of negativity, he recognised the issues natural indifference could pose, so took it upon himself to unlock the Havertz he believed was within.

'From chill mode to pump mode was what Tuchel was looking for,' explains a source close to the new England boss. But nurture's fight against nature is generally a complex one. Havertz, whether you like it or not, simply isn't cut from that sort of cloth.

Coincidentally, Arteta is also a firm believer in the importance of body language and the messages it can deliver. When the goals are flying in, one's demeanour isn't pored over. When goals and performances have dried up, you better look like you give a damn.

With that in mind, Havertz has become somewhat of a scapegoat for Arsenal's recent struggles. Some of that he has brought on himself. Glaring misses against Newcastle last week in the Carabao Cup semi-final loss and Manchester United on Sunday, as the Gunners crashed out of the FA Cup, have infuriated sections of the fanbase. Havertz's wife Sophia, who is pregnant, has exposed screenshots of social media abuse she received during the loss to Ruben Amorim's side - including abhorrent posts threatening her unborn child.

Given Havertz is the team's leading goalscorer this season, there are probably more worthy targets for the supporters' ire.

Chelsea can be a tough school. Havertz isn't the only player to have been insular inside the four walls of Stamford Bridge.

It is pointed out to Mail Sport that Mohamed Salah cut a meek figure during his time in west London. To a point, Kevin De Bruyne was similar. Both left and haven't looked back. Havertz's career at the Emirates has started on a similarly positive trajectory, though without the glut of trophies so far.

There was some apprehension behind the scenes at Arsenal when Arteta insisted the club moved for Havertz in the summer of 2023 when it became clear Chelsea were open to selling him.

Central midfielder? Attacking midfielder? Striker? The talent was clear, but certain figures at the Emirates weren't entirely sure where Havertz would fit in.

Having already set their stall out to sign Declan Rice for a fee that would surpass the £100million mark, forking out a further £65m on Havertz - who'd hardly set the world on fire during the 2022-23 season - was seen as a high-risk transfer.

But like Tuchel, Arteta saw the promise. After a slow start, Havertz's performance against Newcastle in a 4-1 home win in February had the Arsenal manager believing he'd cracked it.

The Germany international was unplayable - physicality, technical ability and a goal to boot - and Arteta left the Emirates sure he'd found the No 9 the team had been craving.

Later that summer, Arsenal went into negotiations with striker targets insisting the 25-year-old would start the season in possession of the shirt. Nearly 12 months on, whether Havertz has the all-round game to lead a team going for the title is open to conjecture.

Those doubts are valid but aren't solely of Havertz's making, he is after all a player who was never recognised as a centre forward until Arteta's attempts to transition him into one.

The clues were there, the very fact Havertz started his first season at Arsenal in central midfield being one of them. Yet, it cannot be argued that Havertz hasn't been a productive - 26 goals in 67 starts is decent strike rate - albeit perhaps not a title-winning one.

Havertz has not been helped by the absence of attacking duo Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka for periods this season, nor has his recent form been helped by a winter illness that has affected a number of players.

Nevertheless Havertz, at least for the time being, will continue to play a lead role for Arsenal - particularly with Gabriel Jesus set to miss a lengthy period as he undergoes tests to determine the severity of a knee injury suffered in the loss to United.

Arsenal's worst fears are that Jesus has suffered cartilage or ligament damage, which could raise questions over whether he can play again this season.

Havertz's quirky fondness for donkeys lends itself to an obvious, and rather unpleasant, comparison. But this isn't a laughing matter for Arsenal or Havertz.

Speak to those who have worked alongside him at both London destinations, they'll tell you there is a mischievous side to the player's personality that we don't see.

Arsenal will be desperate for that devilment to explode to the surface as they look to salvage their ailing season.