Timo Werner is everything Chelsea was missing and then some

After a solid performance in this season’s opener against Brighton, Timo Werner showed he is everything Chelsea was missing.

Chelsea had an unconventional first game considering the fire power the Blues had at their disposal. Frank Lampard’s side had less possession, played on the counter and failed to keep any rhythm. However, the team still came out with a solid win, and more importantly, a glance at what the near future holds. This was especially the case for Timo Werner as he showed us his speed, position awareness and tactical abilities.

The German international brings the speed that will allow Chelsea to change tactics. The fact is, Chelsea won’t always play an open-attacking game. There will be matches where the team will have to sit back, endure and pick the correct time to hit back. Werner will allow the Blues to do that more efficiently. Although Chelsea has the fire power to implement impactful counter attacks, it puts a lot of pressure on just a couple of players. Werner will alleviate that burden with his speed and provide more assistance when the time comes.

Werner is not just fast; he is also intelligent. Chelsea’s new striker showcased how well he can position himself in order to break a defensive back line. Against Brighton, Werner played in between defenders and asked for the ball in the open space—rather than where he was—on numerous occasions. This let him to utilize his pace and out-run defenders, but also allowed for his teammates to join him in the attack by drawing the attention off them. The 24-year-old also covered great lengths from left to right, and vice versa, to make the said runs and break from the defenders.

Lastly, Werner was always in the right position. Lampard called for an unusual tactical approach in Chelsea’s opener, but Werner executed them expertly. Too often, he dropped deep into the midfield or out the wings in order to assist with the build-up. In this regard, he understood that Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Kai Havertz had specific roles to play when attacking. Therefore, he occupied the correct areas of the field, made himself available and became a threat every time he was on the ball.

Werner provides a different attacking dimension that Chelsea did not have before. Although this was just the first game, his talents cannot be questioned. Now, the gaffer will have more options available to him in order to resolve issues regarding how to deal with opposing styles. Werner is the type of striker Chelsea needed, and now, the team will be more threatening than in recent years.

What did you make of Werner’s Chelsea debut against Brighton? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!