He's a striker so his game is very much about goals. Everything else is just regular traits of forwards (off the ball running, hold up play, drifting wide to pull defenders, etc.).

A striker that doesn't score isn't exactly worth much but we'll see how Chelsea deal with this one. I wonder if they'll keep the faith...

Werner will end somewhere else in one or 2 years if Chelsea sign some other striker this summer.

There has been tons of strikers in the past who dont score much but offer so much in games that they start, although when there were more second striker types? Werner I thought was gonna flop, but as some said above, his pace means opponents are always wary and the defenders seem to struggle due to him making runs and pulling them all over the place.

Still funny how just some strikers despite playing in that position all their lives, still suck at finishing.

Chelsea really struggles to create chances when he's not in the team. It's not like a better finisher like Giroud or Tammy puts away the same chances that Timo wastes. They just don't get these kind chances at all and Chelsea as a whole struggles offensively. The stress he puts on opposing defences and the way he opens up the game for his teammates and his overall work for the team is really valuable.

Chelsea needs someone with a similar playstyle that will allow the attack to be this dynamic and flexible, otherwise I think it's worth to start him again next season and hope that he rediscovers his finishing touch from the Leipzig days (I'm aware that he missed a lot of chances with them too, but he also scored a lot more).

What a goal

Werner

It must be said nobody is as good at missing sitters as this guy. Pretty hard to reach this level, where is his ceiling?

Myesyats wrote:It must be said nobody is as good at missing sitters as this guy. Pretty hard to reach this level, where is his ceiling?

TBH at that age Lewandowski was just as bad. Scroll back to my comments on the guy from like 2014 and you can see me laughing at his mitting sitters.
Though Werner even at good times wasn't super clinical. Really hope he can bounce back from this.

At that age (25) Lewandowski became the first player to score four goals in a Champions League semi-final as Borussia Dortmund defeated Spanish champions Real Madrid 4–1

Honestly I can recall Lewandowski's career back to his Lech Poznan days since it is my hometown club and I don't remember him ever being this spectacularly wasteful (neither with BVB and definitely not with Buyern)

Admittedly, I thought Werner was still like 23.
I also don't think he's going to be the next Lewa. But players have shitty phases.
And Lewa, while always scoring high with Dortmund, also had a lot of games where he missed sitter after sitter. It was infuriating to watch at times. But Lewa would, what Werner doesn't, after missing 3 sitters just score a screamer out of nothing.

Edit: My point was: 'eh, strikers have those phases'.

The thing with Werner is that this is starting to become a defining feature, not just a phase or one aspect of his game. His stats are abysmal.

I support Werner but a lot of excuses are being made for him now.

From Chelsea fan's pointing out less tangible things like "Great runs and micromovement" but on the ball he doesnt do much.

His confidence is low and I am positive he will reach a run of positive streaks as he is a natural goalscorer but the talent level between him and Lewa is miles and miles. He will never reach that stage.

That being said I feel he will bloom this season.

farfan wrote:The thing with Werner is that this is starting to become a defining feature, not just a phase or one aspect of his game. His stats are abysmal.

It's because his lack of technique paired with his somewhat comical "keep my head down and keep going" mentality make him uniquely, avidly clumsy on the ball

he's a great asset in how he plays, in terms of team play, running, creating space, being in the right place, combining, it all makes him a very good player, but he will always be a potentially terrible finisher with a questionable touch and rather laughable dribbling skills

you just have to take the considerably good with the comically bad, it is an entertaining package as a bottom line

Arquitecto wrote:I support Werner but a lot of excuses are being made for him now.

From Chelsea fan's pointing out less tangible things like "Great runs and micromovement" but on the ball he doesnt do much.

His confidence is low and I am positive he will reach a run of positive streaks as he is a natural goalscorer but the talent level between him and Lewa is miles and miles. He will never reach that stage.

That being said I feel he will bloom this season.

I agree with this.
I just meant to say that I've seen good strikers have horrible phases, and I don't think 'terrible misses Werner' is the only Werner we'll get to see. He's not going to become the next Gerd Müller, but he's eventually going to score those sitters again.

I generally have commenced to never judge a striker who misses sitters as that is more a case of nerves to their confidence levels. From Torres at Chelsea being an example as its always congruent with them almost trying too hard to compensate for their lack of goals. Its why I admired Inzaghi for his sheer desire for goals (above any striker Ive seen) never had him miss such chances.

Werner needs a string of goals to be in his system before he starts banging them in without a thoughts. Its the overthinking that has them sky plum chances on a plate for them. He's only 25 anyhow.

I am honestly baffled how he scored 28 league goals at Leipzig. he is not really struggling with the new league, he simply can’t finish the zillion chances he gets and most importantly puts himself in.

Blue wrote:I am honestly baffled how he scored 28 league goals at Leipzig. he is not really struggling with the new league, he simply can’t finish the zillion chances he gets and most importantly puts himself in.

It's bundesliga. Reiss Nelson looked like Ribery there when we sent him out on loan.

RealGunner wrote:

Blue wrote:I am honestly baffled how he scored 28 league goals at Leipzig. he is not really struggling with the new league, he simply can’t finish the zillion chances he gets and most importantly puts himself in.

It's bundesliga. Reiss Nelson looked like Ribery there when we sent him out on loan.

I know what you mean, but I can understand if Werner was struggling against superior defenders and the strength + pace of the league but he is not. He just can’t finish, the opportunities he is missing are tap ins. His general play is very good.

• 2 goals and 1 assist from Werner! The second goal looked like Van Persie style!

Van der Vaart: “If you compare Werner with Van Persie one more time, I will walk away now.” pic.twitter.com/LI3RGuhR4g

— ???????????? ???????????????? (@TheEuropeanLad) December 8, 2021

He's not wrong.

cryin

Was Van der Vaart always this funny? I don't recall him being that quotable when he was a player