and have been branded ‘unprofessional’ for letting take a penalty in Saturday’s 4-0 win at AFC .
The Germany international slotted it home in the 53rd minute to register his first goal for the Gunners since he moved to north London this summer from Chelsea.
Eyebrows were raised when Arsenal decided to splash out £65m on Havertz given that he was largely underwhelming in his three-year spell at Stamford Bridge.
Havertz is currently being reshaped into more of a midfield role but the 24-year-old has mostly struggled in his first few matches for Arsenal.
Arteta has refused to criticise him though – and speaking after their win on the south coast – for the summer signing.
Alan Shearer, meanwhile, and has urged him to improve his numbers.
Former Liverpool right-back Steve Nicol, on punditry duties for , has now hit out at Arteta and Arsenal for letting Havertz take the penalty against the Cherries.
‘If Arsenal’s life depends on it, Saka takes it or Odegaard takes it,’ Nicol said. ‘Havertz doesn’t take it. At 2-0 the game’s not over. It’s a lack of professionalism.
‘What happens if he misses it and Bournemouth get two late goals? That’s not what you do. If you’re the coach of a team and allow that things like that to happen, then it spreads into other things. You have to be precise. And orders are orders.
‘Do you think him scoring a goal there is going to make any difference to the way he plays in the middle of the park? No, it’s not. It’s unprofessional.’
