Thomas Tuchel solves Chelsea’s biggest issue to date

Frank Lampard was sacked by Chelsea 14 months ago for a plethora of reasons. First and foremost, the team’s form was slipping as the Blues found themselves ninth in the Premier League when the club legend was let go. Second, his three-year rebuild was just a little too slow for the board, who prioritized winning now. Lastly, Lampard largely failed to get the best out of his expensive summer signings, namely Kai Havertz and Timo Werner. Thomas Tuchel was brought in shortly after to succeed Lampard with two goals in mind: win and get his compatriots firing.

Whereas winning hasn’t been an issue, the second point has been a struggle for much of Tuchel’s tenure, as well. The defense has been rock solid but the attack is not scoring as much as it should be. Chelsea has seen countless talented youngsters leave for one reason or another over the years and it simply cannot afford to give up on a £70+ million wunderkind like Havertz. Part of his problem—in addition to two bouts with COVID-19 and a couple of injuries—over the last two seasons has been minutes. Mason Mount plays a very similar game and he’s done it at a higher level more consistently than his German teammate. The £97.5 million acquisition of Romelu Lukaku did not look promising for the 22-year-old’s future either. Alas, Tuchel looks to have finally solved the Blues’ biggest issue and gotten Havertz to look comfortable in SW6.

Thomas Tuchel has finally found a solution to Chelsea’s biggest issue up front

Havertz has finally found his footing as he’s in the best form of his young Chelsea career. He’s played in eight games since the beginning of February, tallying five goals and two assists in that time period. The youngster has stepped up big time while important figures like Mount, Lukaku and Hakim Ziyech have either been hurt or struggling for form. It seems as if Tuchel is finally beginning to get the best out of a player who was touted as one of the world’s most exciting prospects when he was purchased by the Blues in the summer of 2020.

It wasn’t long ago when Havertz was viewed as a player who only turned up for the big occasions. There are worse things to be known for, of course, but he brings much more to the table than just the occasional goal, as he’s shown over the last few weeks. Tuchel has lined the versatile forward up as a No. 9 and it’s worked wonders. His movement across the front lines brings with it a certain fluidity that allows each winger to get into more free space. This also leads to the Blues playing more direct through the middle, as opposed to down the wings.

Part of the reason Lampard loved the German is because of his positional versatility. He can play as a striker, second striker, right winger, left winger and attacking midfielder. Havertz originally looked best as a No. 8/10, but his competition for minutes with Mount led to some awkward positional fits over the last two seasons. Tuchel’s willingness to try Havertz as a center forward over the last few months has unlocked his best position and shifted the narrative.

Whereas the storyline used to be “Mount versus Havertz,” it’s now shifted to one of “Mount and Havertz” in the Blues’ starting XI. This is hugely beneficial going forward as Tuchel has two of the most promising young players in Europe at his disposal. The duo has noticeably developed a positive relationship on the pitch, beginning with the Champions League final winning goal against Manchester City back in May and culminating in a 3-1 win at Norwich City on Thursday. Havertz and Mount each racked up a goal and an assist at Carrow Road en route to a huge three points. This performance gave fans hope for the great things to come between the pair.

Tuchel has done a lot of fantastic things during his year and some change at Stamford Bridge. However, the Champions League, Super Cup and Club World Cup trophies are just the tip of the iceberg if he can continue to get the best out of his two budding superstars.

What do you make of Havertz and Mount finally starting to thrive off one another’s play? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or on Twitter!