As the Premier League season heads into its most congested and defining phase, Mikel Arteta is set to welcome back two pivotal figures: Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz. Their respective returns from injury are more than just a welcome boost to squad depth; they represent a fundamental tactical inflection point for Arsenal. The question facing the Spanish manager isn’t if they should play, but how they can co-exist and improve upon a side already competing at the top. Their availability instantly injects a new level of fluidity, movement, and defensive intensity, promising to unlock a new, potentially devastating, iteration of Arteta’s system.
Fluidity in the final third—the Havertz-Jesus equation
The most significant impact of the duo’s return is the immediate injection of fluidity and unpredictability into Arsenal’s attack. While the current front line has performed admirably, the return of Jesus and Havertz allows Arteta to shift from a rigid structure to a system defined by rotational movement.
The key to their co-existence lies in their complementary skill sets. Gabriel Jesus is not a traditional #9; he is a ‘Pressing Winger/False 9’ hybrid who excels at dropping into Zone 14 (the area just outside the box) to link play and drag defenders out of position. This movement is the catalyst for Kai Havertz’s greatest strength: the late, clinical run from a midfield position into the vacated space.
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Havertz: The ghost in the box
Havertz’s effectiveness hinges on arriving late and utilising space created by others. His 2024-25 Premier League season has seen him achieve an impressive non-penalty Expected Goals per 90 minutes (npxG/90) of $0.46$. This elite metric confirms his position as a high-quality finisher of chances.
The true measure of his growing attacking influence is the volume of danger he creates: averaging nearly 5.5 touches in the opposition box per 90 minutes. When Jesus is available, Havertz can comfortably revert to the left-sided central midfield role, knowing his deeper runs will find space opened up by Jesus’s lateral movement.
Jesus: The pressing catalyst
The return of Jesus fundamentally re-establishes Arsenal’s high pressing intensity. Jesus is universally recognised as one of the Premier League’s most relentless defensive forwards, setting the tone from the top. Offensively, Jesus’s contribution is clear in his desire to be central—even with limited minutes this season, he averages approximately 7.9 touches in the box per 90 minutes. This gravitational pull on central defenders frees up channels for Havertz, and, significantly, for Arsenal’s other versatile attackers.
The selection conundrum and squad depth
The biggest selection question revolves around the incumbent central forward, Viktor Gyökeres, who has been outstanding in their absence.
Arteta now possesses a genuinely elite suite of options for the central attacking roles:
Gabriel Jesus: The Pressing-False 9.
Kai Havertz: The Shadow Striker (from LCM) or the Fluid #9.
Viktor Gyökeres: The Physical Target Man/Clinical Finisher.
Tactical lexibility: A title-winning ingredient
Their return dramatically increases Arsenal’s ability to change shape and personnel mid-game based on the opponent:
Scenario Formation/Personnel Key Tactical Goal
Breaking Down Low Block Havertz (LCM) + Gyökeres (CF) Havertz’s late runs exploit space created by Gyökeres’s physicality.
High Pressing / Transition Jesus (CF) + Havertz (LCM/LW) Jesus sets the defensive intensity; Havertz and wide players profit from high turnovers.
Rotation / Rest Jesus (RW) or Havertz (CF) Gives essential rest to Bukayo Saka and allows for different attacking profiles against tired legs.
This newfound depth also protects the entire first XI. As Arteta himself alluded to after a challenging game when they played together: “We didn’t understand [the space],… we adjusted a few things.” Now, with more time and understanding, this complexity will evolve from a challenge into a unique advantage, allowing for crucial rotation without a significant drop-off in quality, a factor that derailed previous title challenges.
Arteta’s full Arsenal—The Madueke and Eze dynamic
The reintroduction of Jesus and Havertz coincides with the integration of summer signings Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze. Their combined availability gives Arteta an unprecedented level of attacking depth and tactical variety.
The left-sided creative nexus (Eze & Havertz)
Eze, primarily signed to operate from the left-sided central midfield (LCM) or left wing (LW) positions, is a direct competitor and complement to Havertz.
Eze’s Fit: Eze is a dribbling, line-breaking playmaker. His strength lies in carrying the ball through midfield and creating chances from tight spaces.
The Co-existence: If Havertz plays at centre-forward (CF) alongside Gyökeres, Eze can operate in the LCM role, bringing a different kind of thrust than Havertz. Conversely, if Havertz drops back to LCM, Eze can provide elite rotation for Gabriel Martinelli on the left wing. This provides Arsenal with a vital creative outlet and prevents the left flank from becoming predictable.
The right-sided explosiveness (Madueke & Jesus)
Madueke’s arrival was specifically targeted to reinforce the right flank, providing direct competition and relief for the irreplaceable Bukayo Saka.
Madueke’s Fit: Madueke is an explosive, traditional winger who excels at isolating his full-back and using his pace and directness to get to the byline or cut inside.
The Co-existence: Madueke’s directness on the right offers an alternative to Saka’s more nuanced play-making. Crucially, the presence of Jesus—who often drifts right—creates a brilliant overlapping combination. Jesus’s movements to the half-space draw the opposition left-back inside, creating the perfect channel for Madueke to attack with pace, turning Jesus into an inverted creator and Madueke into a pure attacker.
Shifting the defensive landscape
When all four are available for selection, the opposition faces a crippling tactical brief:
Who to Mark: Defenders must contend with Jesus’s deep link-up runs, Havertz’s late ghosting runs from midfield, Eze’s line-breaking carries, and Madueke’s direct 1v1 threat.
Increased Intensity: The collective pressing ability, spearheaded by Jesus, forces opponents to rush their build-up play, increasing the probability of costly turnovers in their defensive third. The opposition can no longer relax against a static front line; they must prepare for constant positional rotation and pressing traps across every zone.
The verdict—a mental and physical boost
Ultimately, the return of Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz is a double win, providing both a physical lift and a psychological boost.
On the pitch, they provide the necessary quality to sustain a dual challenge in the Premier League and the Champions League knockout stages. Jesus is a proven European scorer, and Havertz adds the height, physicality, and aerial threat that has become increasingly vital for set-pieces and goal-kicking routines.
Off the pitch, the sight of two experienced, high-calibre attackers returning strengthens the belief across the entire squad that they have the resources and resilience to see out a title race. This is more than squad depth; it is the final piece of the tactical puzzle for Mikel Arteta. Their co-existence will define the second half of Arsenal’s season, transforming the current excellent form into a true title-winning surge.Off the pitch, the sight of two experienced, high-calibre attackers returning strengthens the belief across the entire squad that they have the resources and resilience to see out a title race.
🏁 Conclusion
This is more than squad depth; it is the final piece of the tactical puzzle for Mikel Arteta. The tactical intricacies of fitting Jesus’s pressing intensity with Havertz’s ghosting runs ensure that Arsenal’s attack becomes not just stronger, but smarter and infinitely more adaptable. Their availability ensures that the burden of output is shared, protecting key players like Saka from burnout and providing game-changing options from the bench. The co-existence of Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz will not simply improve Arsenal; it is the catalyst that could transform them into genuine, sustained trophy contenders, defining the success of the second half of their season.