“It does annoy me a bit" - Pundit calls out Arsenal fans for criticising summer signing, believes he can be a 'good player' for Gunners

Sky Sports pundit Alex Smith has urged Arsenal fans to be patient with new signing Kai Havertz, who arrived from Chelsea this summer.

Havertz, 24, moved to the Emirates in a deal worth £65 million but has struggled to hit the ground running. The attacking midfielder has started all five games for the Gunners across competitions, including their FA Community Shield win on penalties against Manchester City.

The 24-year-old, though, has failed to open his account or make a goal contribution. Manager Mikel Arteta has mostly played the German in an unfamiliar midfield role than what he was used to at Chelsea.

Fans have grown impatient at Havertz's lack of impact. But Smith said that the German deserves some time to get used to a new system under a different manager. He said on The Gooners' Podcast (via TBR):

"It does annoy me a bit the way people are willing to criticise him so quickly. These are Arsenal supporters and you’d hope that they support in the early days when a new player comes in and he’s trying to find his feet. He’s trying to understand what the manager wants and I think that does take time."

Smith added:

“You see players go in at Man City and try and understand what Pep Guardiola wants and needs, it took Jack Grealish a season. I’m not saying it’ll take (Kai) Havertz a season but he’s just finding his feet in that squad, in that dressing room and in that first XI."

Terming Havertz a sound player from a technical perspective, Smith backed the German to eventually come good for Arteta:

“I think he’s a very good player technically, I think he can be a good player for us, and I heard (Mikel) Arteta say he wants to be getting himself in the box on the end of things, a bit like (Granit) Xhaka did last season.

"I think Havertz can be better than that, as he’s got more of an attacking instinct, and he is a good finished when he gets in those positions.”

Havertz arrived at the Emirates having registered 32 goals and 15 assists in 139 games for Chelsea.

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What Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said about Kai Havertz after Fulham game

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta

Arsenal have had a good start to the season. They beat Manchester City in the FA Community Shield and won their first two Premier League games. However, their perfect start to the campaign ended against Fulham in a 2-2 draw at home.

Mikel Arteta's men conceded a late equalizer to the 10-man visitors. During the post-match press conference, the Spaniard touched on whether Havertz would win over the Gunners' fans (as per Arsenal's website):

"Yes, I think so. I think he’s already done some really good things, and, today, it was tough for him in certain moments.

"He got in some great areas again, and the ball didn’t arrive, and he had a lot of situations. He should have already scored a lot of goals already this season, and that’s the thing that is missing there."

Arsenal return to Premier League action at Everton on Sunday (September 17). Arteta and Co. are fifth in the standings but are only two points behind leaders Manchester City.