One by one, the attacking disappointments are heading out of the exit door at Stamford Bridge. Romelu Lukaku has already gone, loaned again to Internazionale a yr after becoming a member of Chelsea for a report £97.5m, and now Timo Werner has adopted his fellow ahead in selecting to deliver a untimely finish to his underwhelming spell in England.
Like Lukaku, Werner has determined to move again to the place the place he performed his greatest soccer. The Germany striker is returning to RB Leipzig in a deal price round £25m, a mere two years after leaving the Bundesliga membership for £47.5m, and whereas it was unimaginable to not admire the 25-year-old’s effort in a Chelsea shirt it’s tough to argue with Thomas Tuchel’s resolution to let him depart.
The statistics inform their very own story. There was loads of pleasure when he joined Chelsea, who beat off competitors from Liverpool and Bayern Munich after watching him rating 34 objectives in all competitions for Leipzig in the course of the 2019-20 season, however it has not labored out.
The qualities that made Werner so lethal within the Bundesliga – the direct operating down the left, the searing tempo – haven’t proved as efficient towards Premier League defences and he lower a depressing determine by the top of final season, weighed down as he was by a sequence of more and more comical misses, objectives dominated out by tight VAR calls and, most importantly, the sense that he merely wasn’t Tuchel’s cup of tea.
This transfer is greatest for all events, even when Chelsea have been pressured to dispense with yet one more costly ahead. Werner, who’s frightened about dropping his place in Germany’s World Cup squad, has not had a superb relationship with Tuchel for some time and wishes a recent begin.
Tuchel, in the meantime, wants recent choices up entrance. He has already introduced in Raheem Sterling, who was vivid throughout Chelsea’s win towards Everton final Saturday, however extra is required. “Is it essential to deliver extra offensive gamers across the field?” Tuchel stated on the finish of final season. “We’ll ask that query.”
The reply, after all, is sure. “Hear, it’s the identical gamers,” Tuchel stated after watching Chelsea lose 4-0 towards Arsenal throughout pre-season. “Why ought to every thing change?”
The German has given up attempting to cover his frustration with most of his inventive gamers. The numbers are stark. Solely Mason Mount, who just isn’t a striker, hit double figures within the league final season and there was little signal of an enchancment when Chelsea beat Everton. They had been blunt as an attacking power – successful a tedious sport when Ben Chilwell surged ahead from left wing-back and received a penalty for Jorginho to transform – and are crying out for extra incision within the last third.
Is there an answer? Inevitably among the focus will fall on Tuchel’s method. Chelsea’s head coach likes to make use of a again three, with two midfield sitters guarding the defence, and the system can really feel sterile at occasions.
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A lot of the inventive emphasis is on the wing‑backs – Tuchel has come to view Chilwell and Reece James as his No 10s – however being a ahead on this aspect doesn’t all the time appear like a lot enjoyable. At occasions it appears to be like as if Chelsea are reliant on set items, or one in all their entrance three conjuring one thing particular out of nothing, and the highlight on Tuchel will develop harsher if the objectives don’t begin to circulate this season.
On the similar time Tuchel is entitled to level out he’s in the course of a rebuild. He has signed Sterling, who’s a confirmed Premier League goalscorer, however additional adjustments are absolutely on the best way. In any case, Werner and Lukaku weren’t the one disgruntled members of Tuchel’s assault. There are doubts over Callum Hudson‑Odoi’s future – the winger has requested to depart on mortgage following his omission towards Everton – whereas Hakim Ziyech and Christian Pulisic are each unsettled.
Tuchel is ready to tear it up and begin once more. He’ll fortunately take heed to affords for Ziyech, who has been focused by Milan, and doesn’t belief Pulisic, whose contract expires in 2024. Chelsea want new concepts. After all it’s hardly encouraging when Tuchel retains dropping his forwards, however by the identical token solely Mount has made himself undroppable. To place it into context Ziyech, Pulisic and Hudson-Odoi managed 11 league objectives between them final season.
As for Kai Havertz, expectations will probably be increased with Lukaku and Pulisic gone. The £62.5m German is elegant, swish and able to moments of brilliance, however he’s additionally inconsistent and susceptible to lengthy dry spells.
This can be a massive season for Havertz, who was insipid towards Everton. Chelsea, who’re contemplating a transfer for Barcelona’s Pierre‑Emerick Aubameyang, want somebody to step up. They’ve fallen behind their rivals within the goalscoring division and can see what correct forwards appear like when Antonio Conte’s Tottenham flip up at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. With the honourable exception of Sterling, there isn’t any one like Harry Kane or Son Heung-min in Chelsea’s squad. It should drive Tuchel mad.
