Three ways Chelsea can cope with Mason Mount’s absence
2. Kai Havertz
The worst kept secret in world football is the fact that Kai Havertz has largely failed to find his footing in the Premier League. The £70+ million wunderkind has gotten off to a rough start since moving to England. Of course, there’s context to these struggles. Havertz has gotten COVID-19 twice, suffered multiple injuries, played for two managers, failed to nail down a spot at any one position and played in a plethora of different formations. Oh yeah, this is all in addition to picking up everything he owns and moving to a new country at the age of 21. The youngster often dubbed ‘the next Thomas Muller’ deserves to be cut a ton of slack.
A large part of the reason why he’s failed to solidify a starting spot over nearly two full seasons at the club is the subject of this article, Mount. Mount’s made himself undroppable at a number of different positions, even as his game continues to develop. Therefore, the absence of the individual many believe will be Chelsea’s next great club captain will work in Havertz’s favor.
Another reason it’s difficult to slot the German into the starting XI is because Tuchel is yet to find his best position on the pitch. Havertz is often referred to as a ‘No. 9.5’ because he can succeed as a striker or attacking midfielder. He’s also capable of playing out wide or as a second striker, which only further clouds the issue. Havertz now has the opportunity to slot into a role that seems tailor-made to fit his play style. The youngster would be able to rotate freely amongst a few different attacking positions on his favorite right side. Playing as one of the two advanced midfielders would also allow him to get onto the ball more than when he’s isolated up in attack.
Despite a series of shaky and unconvincing performances over the last few months, there is no doubt Havertz still has world class potential. He likely has the most to gain from Mount’s absence, even if it is a brief stint on the sidelines. Havertz can—if he plays to his ability—transition seamlessly into this role and allow Tuchel’s team to remain in a 4-1-4-1 shape.