Chelsea: Trying to find Kai Havertz’s best position in the Blues’ 4-3-3

Kai Havertz has struggled in the opening months of his Chelsea career, which begs the question, where on the pitch is he best?

Transitioning to the rough and tumble rigours of the Premier League is a challenge for any player, let alone a 21-year-old with an abundance of skill and flair. Yet, 10 games and nine starts into his time in England, how much longer will it before Kai Havertz can be judged?

Chelsea boss Frank Lampard defended the German attacking midfielder after the Blues’ 2-1 loss to Wolves, urging patience for Havertz while referencing his undoubted talent and tender age. That all makes sense, but unfortunately for Chelsea and Havertz, so do his soporific displays against Everton and Wolves. He looked lost throughout his time on the pitch and fluffed his lines at a few crucial moments.

Yes, the bout with COVID-19 has unquestionably taken a toll on Havertz, just as indeed it had an impact on F1 driver Lewis Hamilton—who spoke of exhaustion and difficulties after his race in Abu Dhabi. Hamilton is one of number of professional athletes who have spoken of the effects of COVID-19 on their performance. The point being, Formula 1 is a physically demanding sport, just like football is, so one can quite easily draw the parallel to Havertz and his stretch with Coronavirus as a reason for his recent lack of intensity and form. Or at least, you could use that reasoning if Havertz’s performance against Everton hadn’t looked just like every other performance he has turned in wearing a Chelsea shirt, save for his hat-trick against Barnsley.

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Before the internet has a field day with this, let us all agree on a couple of things. Havertz has performed at some of the highest levels, is extremely talented and he is still very young, playing in the hardest league in the world in a season with a condensed schedule. It is also worth noting that some players just take longer than others to adjust to the Premier League.

It took two full seasons for Didier Drogba, one of the greatest strikers Chelsea has ever had, to come good. Drogba scored just 10 and 12 goals over 55 appearances in his two seasons with the Blues. In his third season, he scored 20 goals in 36 appearances. In the 2009/10 season, he netted a whopping 29 goals in 32 appearances in the Premier League.

More recently, much was made of the start that Christian Pulisic had before finding himself on the bench for a number of games consecutively. When Lampard brought the American back into the starting line-up, he dazzled and became Chelsea’s standout player.

The reason there should be some concern creeping in over Havertz is two-fold. The most pressing issue Havertz faces is that he doesn’t really have a defined role in this Chelsea team. Every coach Havertz has had has spoken of his versatility. He can play “across the front three” is frequently spouted while he can also play in central midfield. At Bayer Leverkusen, he excelled as a No. 9—more of a false nine than an out-and-out striker—but he led the line with aplomb scoring and assisting at an incredible rate.

The issue at Stamford Bridge is that, when fit, Hakim Ziyech is the best option on the right wing. Timo Werner is the best No. 9 the Blues have at their disposal, Christian Pulisic is a guaranteed starter on the left wing and Mason Mount is a staple of this Chelsea team, consistently working himself into the ground. Havertz is not about to play the defensive midfielder role and so the only spot left for him is the right side of the midfield three, a spot currently and deservedly held by Mateo Kovacic.

Objectively, Havertz’s worst position is this Kovacic No.6 central midfield role. The ‘Kovacic role’ is more defensive than Mount’s, which does not play to the German’s strengths. If Havertz were to play there, one of either he or Mount would have to take on more of a defensive mindset; based on current form, Mount is the one you want driving forward, not the £80 million man.

Where Havertz excels is that between the lines No. 10 role, but that doesn’t exist in Chelsea’s most recent 4-3-3 formation. With Ziyech out injured against Everton, Lampard deployed Havertz out on the right wing and not for the first time, he was non-existent. Former Bayer Leverkusen coach Tayfun Korkut told Sky Sports that he played Havertz on the right side because he was very young and playing him there would take him away from the pressures of midfield. Korkut also highlighted that, while Havertz could play anywhere across the front, he isn’t really a winger. Yet, in this Chelsea team, he has little else to choose from at the moment.

The other side of the coin is Lampard will have to sacrifice Mount in the midfield—where he is at his best—in order to try and unlock Havertz, forcing Mount to the wing or even the bench. Pushing Mount to the wing once again, and still just as undeservedly, opens up the Englishman to bear the brunt of Chelsea criticism. To move him when he has been playing so well is not only harsh on Mount, but it could serve to weaken the Blues as a whole. With Havertz taking Mount’s role, maybe then Lampard might unlock the Havertz of old, but is it worth the risk of moving your most reliable performer and unsettling a composed midfield three?

With the pressure and price tag attached to Havertz, as well as the weight on Lampard to find a solution to his star signing’s lack of performance, it might be a risk worth taking. Just don’t expect the end product any time soon.