"Captain of the flop team so far" - Gabriel Agbonlahor mocks Arsenal star with damning verdict
Former Aston Villa forward Gabriel Agbonlahor has mocked Arsenal star Kai Havertz, labeling him the captain of the flop team so far this season.
Arsenal signed Kai Havertz from Chelsea for a transfer fee of £65 million this summer despite his poor goal record for the Blues last season. Mikel Arteta has attempted to reinvent the Germany international, deploying him as a midfielder.
The move hasn't quite been a success so far with Havertz struggling to make an impact. He has scored just one goal - a penalty and provided one assist in 12 appearances across all competitions.
With Fabio Vieira looking impressive in midfield with his limited game time, Havertz's long-term future in Arsenal's starting XI could potentially be in jeopardy.
Agbonlahor reckons the 24-year-old has been a huge flop to date but decided on Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana as being the worst. He told talkSPORT (via HITC):
“Onana is up there [for worst signing]. It’s because of how he’s started. Mason Mount is up there, he’s not done anything, has he? [Kai] Havertz. Havertz is the captain of the flop team so far. But I’m going to have to go Onana.”
It comes as no surprise to see Onana being Agbonlahor's flop of the season. The 27-year-old has looked extremely shaky in goal, conceding 19 goals in 11 appearances and keeping just three clean sheets.
Moreover, Onan's distribution has been quite poor and he has made several high-profile errors in the UEFA Champions League against Bayern Munich and Galatasaray.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta gives verdict on Chelsea ahead of Premier League clash
The Arsenal manager had a positive verdict on Chelsea's start to the season in the pre-match press conference today (October 20). The two sides are set to face each other in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, October 21.
Arsenal have made a commanding start to their season and are still unbeaten in the league. They beat treble winners Manchester City 1-0 prior to the international break and are currently second in the standings with 20 points from eight games.
When asked about Chelsea, Arteta replied (via Football.london):
"I think when you look first of all at the manager and coaching staff and then the history and players, it’s going to happen very quickly. You can see that they’re going to be a threat."
The Blues had a poor start to their season, struggling to find the back of the net. However, they have won their last three games in succession and are 11th in the league table with 11 points.