KAI HAVERTZ reminds Paul Merson of Mesut Ozil.
The German has struggled for form since his £70million move from Bayer Leverkusen this summer.
Kai Havertz reminds Paul Merson of Mesut OzilCredit: Getty Images – Getty
And Arsenal icon Merson has compared the playmaker to Gunners outcast Ozil.
Havertz, 21, has played just nine times in the Premier League with a return of just one goal.
And Merson has put his underwhelming start down to a confidence and work rate issue.
He told the Star: “Kai Havertz looks like Mesut Ozil at the moment. A major talent, but when he loses the ball, he doesn’t try to win it back.
“Ozil used to get major stick because he didn’t always seem interested. But Havertz looks like that sometimes now as well.
“He looks like he’s out of his depth or doesn’t really want to be here. But you have to remember this is a young player who’s come to a different country.
“I think he’s struggling at the moment and he needs to come off the bench for a few games against tiring teams, get his confidence back.”
Havertz was forced to isolate in November after he contracted coronavirus and Merson reckons that could have impacted his form.
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He added: “He’s had a difficult time here and when he was ill with Covid, Chelsea actually looked better without him.
“I don’t know why Frank Lampard threw him right back into the team because his confidence looks shot.
“If you spend the amount of money they did on him, you want more than a utility player, so I’m surprised he’s played so many positions.”
Ahead of his side’s home game against West Ham on Monday, Lampard backed his man and pleaded with Blues fans to be patient.
He said: “I do think it [4-3-3] suits him.
‘ALL EYES ARE ON HIM’
“Before his Covid period he was playing very well on the right-side, in the eight position and he can play various positions but consistency is sometimes a good thing and that’s what I want to get for him.
“The reaction around Kai, when you look and you analyse what’s happening here, he had no pre-season, started to really play well and then got Covid and all eyes are on him because of the price tag.
“But we need huge perspective here. I’ve mentioned some of the great players the Premier League has seen has taken time to succeed in the Premier League.
“Some of them have been, gone away and come back to the Premier League and become great players.
“I’m not saying it will take a long, long time for Kai, but he does need time to settle in on and off the pitch.
“And that’s what’s happening, I’m very happy with him, I’ve got no problem with him but for Chelsea fans and us, we must give him time.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
