Chelsea needs to be patient with Kai Havertz as he continues to grow

September 4, 2020 will not go down in history as one of the most significant dates in the recent history of Chelsea Football Club, but it should. If not for the events on that September afternoon, May 29, 2021 would not have been possible. The former of the two aforementioned dates is when Kai Havertz put pen to paper, officially becoming a part of the eventual Champions of Europe. His goal would go on to earn the Blues that title as his 42′ strike was the difference between the two Premier League rivals on the night.

Chelsea spent a club record fee (Romelu Lukaku has since broken that record) to bring the German to Stamford Bridge. He represents one of the most promising young prospects in world football and thus, the large fee was justified. Nevertheless, Havertz’s last 14 months have been underwhelming at the club level. His UCL-winning goal will go down in history but it’ll only cut him slack for so long in the eyes of supporters. Both the Blues and their fans need to be patient with Havertz though as he continues to adapt to life in west London.

Chelsea and its fans need to be patient with Kai Havertz as he continues to grow

Havertz finished his first season in the blue of Chelsea on a high note. Otherwise, it was a relatively disappointing campaign for the wunderkind. That said, the Blues’ attack struggled on all fronts, so the youngster wasn’t alone. Havertz finished the campaign with nine goals and nine assists in 45 matches across all competitions. It was a decent season all things considered, it just wasn’t what the fans were promised. There were still many areas Havertz could improve in.

A few months into his sophomore campaign at Stamford Bridge and the same gripes remain. Havertz still doesn’t have a defined position in Chelsea’s system, nor has he cemented his place in Thomas Tuchel’s starting XI. A recent run at the striker position has given Havertz some confidence in the absence of Timo Werner and Lukaku. He’s not going to get many minutes up top once those two return though. The 22-year-old has scored three goals and tallied an assist in the last month against Malmo (UCL), Newcastle (PL), Southampton (EFL Cup) and Burnley (PL). There is now a solid argument to be made that he’s best in a false nine role.

The problem here is Havertz just hasn’t looked impressive when playing with Lukaku. The two talented attackers don’t have much experience playing alongside one another, so that’s to be expected. This is why patience is required. Lukaku is still learning the ropes under Tuchel and adjusting to life with his new teammates. The same goes for Havertz, who is still trying to find his place in the team and adjust to life in the Premier League. The 3-5-2 is expected to slowly become the Blues’ default formation given the personnel Tuchel has in this team at the moment. Lukaku is a guaranteed starter, although there is still uncertainty about who starts alongside him. Havertz’s recent performances for both club and country have gone a long way in showing the gaffer that he is the right fit long-term. His outings for Germany have also shown Chelsea fans the talent their team possesses. The young forward has shined for both Joachim Low and Hansi Flick at a number of positions on the front lines. Comparisons to Thomas Muller and praise from some of football’s brightest minds only serve to emphasize these cries for patience.

Havertz still has his entire career ahead of him. The Premier League is the most difficult league in the world to adjust to due to the physicality, pace and skill of competitors. These factors, combined with his inexperience and the fact he’s had two managers during his first 14 months at Chelsea, contribute to some early struggles. The best is yet to come but the Blues need to continue to allow Havertz to develop steadily. If they do, he will blossom into a lethal and versatile goalscoring forward over the next few seasons in west London.

Where do you think Havertz is best? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!