Chelsea: How does Kai Havertz help the Blues in attack?

Kai Havertz gives Chelsea a lot of flexibility when the Blues are in possession, which is a major asset he brings to the table.

How does Kai Havertz help Chelsea in attack? The question seems rather simple, but the answer isn’t as one-dimensional as you would think. Of course, it’s easy to discuss his eye for goal, his incredible playmaking ability and the maturity beyond his years. However, to find the true solution to the question, one must analyze the attacking unit in its entirety and go back several seasons for the Blues.

Ever since Roman Abramovich began his reign as owner of Chelsea Football Club, the Blues have been launched into the upper echelons of the European club rankings. The club has boasted some of the best attacking talent across the globe over the years. Players like Eden Hazard, Cesc Fabregas, Juan Mata, Didier Drogba and Arjen Robben all called Stamford Bridge home, but as those stars began to depart, it became harder to replace them.

The hunger for attacking flair turned into starvation during the 2018/19 season under Maurizio Sarri as he attempted to turn Chelsea into an attacking side. The lack of creativity became more and more evident as the season progressed. This was partly due to the fact Sarri was the first attack-minded manager the Blues had since Carlo Ancelotti, but can also be blamed on a series of horrendous transactions—with Alvaro Morata and Michy Batshuayi headlining the failures.

After making one of the most desperate moves in the club’s recent history—bringing in Gonzalo Higuain—the board realized something had to change. Players like Willian and Pedro headlined an aging core of offensive talent, an overhaul was necessary. Enter the last two windows in which Chelsea made purchases.

The renovation—and filling the void of Hazard—began with Christian Pulisic’s purchase in January of 2019 and has now peaked with the acquisition of Havertz. Pulisic, Havertz, Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech now make up a quartet of presumed starters for the Blues next season. Each individual brings a different skillset to the table and although they have yet to take the pitch together as a group, the thought of the unit strikes fear in even Chelsea’s fiercest competitors.

These four are undoubtedly the biggest stars the Blues have had for years, and that will go a long way in closing the gap between themselves and the clubs above them. For as long as fans can remember, Chelsea has been an anomaly; it loses to the lower-table clubs and wins the vital matches. One of the reasons this happened time after time is because the Blues lacked creativity. A number of teams in the Premier League often resort to parking the bus against the big six. Thus, clubs like Burnley are seemingly impossible to break down—especially without much movement or an offensive focal point. This will no longer be the case.

Havertz represents the final piece to a Chelsea puzzle that should’ve been solved seasons ago. The Blues already had Pulisic, Werner and Ziyech who can shift around the forward positions and get crafty when necessary. However, the 21-year-old’s purchase presents Chelsea with the opportunity to expand that creativity into the midfield.

Havertz—who can play as a No. 10, right winger or second striker—will likely be allowed to play freely amongst the forwards when in possession. This scenario allows for some creative tactics from the gaffer. Lampard can have Havertz drift onto his natural right side and interchange with Ziyech, who can also play as a No. 10. This keeps defenders guessing and is a nice break from the one-two punch that is crosses from Ziyech and Reece James.

Further, Havertz could tuck in up top with Werner—acting as the focal point—while his German teammate could make runs in behind the defense. Werner’s not known for his hold up play or physicality, so there are question marks as to how he will adapt to the English game. Having a tall, tough and technical striking partner come up from midfield allows Werner a bit more freedom to utilize his versatility. Further, if completely necessary, Werner can also slide over to the left as Pulisic either drops into the midfield or makes way for someone like Tammy Abraham or Olivier Giroud.

The Havertz acquisition gives all of this freedom and versatility a purpose now as he ties it all together. Every attacking player for the Blues—bar Giroud and Abraham—can play multiple positions and it’ll pay dividends in the end. Havertz highlights the flexibility and ensures fewer points will be dropped at the hands of smaller clubs.

Many question Chelsea’s purchase of Havertz—through ignorance, jealousy or both—due to the pre-existing depth the Blues possess in the middle of the park. However, looking beyond excitement and taking a more realistic approach will show the German wunderkind is exactly the type of player Chelsea needs to compete at the highest level.