The Champions League brings forward memories that will last a lifetime – for both players as well as the fraternity. This week was no different, as a heroic, undaunted Chelsea almost pulled off one of the greatest miracles in football history.
The Blues, after being blown out of the water in the first leg at Stamford Bridge by UCL giants Real Madrid, led 3-0 with 10 minutes of normal time to play. What was a spirited performance turned into a catastrophic half an hour as Rodrygo levelled the aggregate before the inevitable Karim Benzema landed the final blow on Chelsea with an added-time winner.
Chelsea accumulated 49 shots across two legs and outplayed Real Madrid, courtesy of their high-octane press, energising passages of play and belief that they could execute the unthinkable.
Whilst each of the goals were impeccable finishes, Timo Werner’s strike embodied why Chelsea forked out £45 million in the summer of 2020 for the pacy forward. The German followed up a patient build-up with sensational movement down the inside left channel. After being found by Mateo Kovacic, he still had a lot to do. He shifted from left to right, leaving Casemiro in his wake, before shimmying away from David Alaba and Dani Carvajal. A slice of luck was probably well-deserved after the Southampton game, where he scored twice but also struck the frame of goal on three occasions. That was a serious goal-scoring motor from Werner, who has netted more in the Champions League than the Premier League, despite having played 11 times fewer in the former.
It clearly demonstrates what confidence can do to a striker. Werner has looked rather disappointing in recent games, which is why Kai Havertz is Thomas Tuchel’s preferred number nine.
It’s the inside left forward position that really favours Werner in a front three. At times, Tuchel’s flexible 4-3-2-1 diamond saw Mason Mount occupying pockets of space behind the two German front men. As noted from his outstanding record against RB Leipzig, Werner thrives off a strike partner who either holds defenders off or takes wider positions to drag the opposition back line. With Havertz predominantly on his favoured right and Mount extremely fluid in a potent front three, Werner looked like the player that absolutely set the Bundesliga on fire.
So, what if Tuchel and Chelsea build the team around Timo Werner? Sometimes, it only takes a game to revive a sinking career in football. Perhaps, these last few outings where Werner has recorded three goals and two assists, could finally be the turning point that Chelsea fans have been longing for.
Tuchel admitted that Werner enjoys playing in that position, especially against teams where there’s a lot of space to exploit. Speaking after Chelsea’s 6-0 demolition of Southampton, the manager remarked:
“He could have scored more. He had huge chances and a lot of chances. It was his favourite position against an opponent we knew we could find spaces in behind. It was for him to make a statement out of it which he did. He could have scored more but we are happy with his strong performance.”
Most notably, what can be said without a doubt is that Werner is a true professional in every sense of the word. Even when his chips have been down, the 26-year-old has stayed true to his role in the team. That, in the first case, should give Tuchel an incentive to back his compatriot.
Werner leads the Chelsea press alongside Havertz and Mount. The way three of them were chasing every single white shirt yesterday was as impressive as the goals they were involved in. From Thibaut Courtois to the likes of Luka Modric, Madrid were forced into mistakes that Chelsea capitalised on through sustained control. Werner, come what may, sprints all over the pitch across 90 minutes like his life depends on it. This forward press is a key trait of the football Chelsea manufacture under Tuchel, and who better than the vibrant trio of Werner, Mount and Havertz to do it?
There’s a tendency to move forward with purpose and precision, with respect to Werner when he is deployed as a left inside forward. It happened very early on, when he switched gears, ran into space, and almost had a shot on goal before Alaba thwarted his attempt. It did, however, underlined the confidence of the man and what a minor tweak in average position does in a footballing system.
There’s larger room for running in behind and narrowing in on goal as well, from the same position. That not only allows the likes of Mount and Havertz to move in for a rebound or cross, but also helps the wingbacks to keep their attacking as well as defensive shape.
In transition, Chelsea have the freedom to deploy a 3-2-5 with wing-backs, or a 4-4-2 that sees Werner and Havertz in front of Mount or Pulisic. They could also create counterattacks without taking too many risks.
    Chelsea has depth at that position, but no one runs the show and exposes the opponent’s pace, or lack thereof, like Werner. In a season comprising two trophies and cup knockout exits, there’s still a lot to play for at West London. And Timo Werner could be the man to deliver the same for Thomas Tuchel and Chelsea.
-Akarshak Roy
Twitter: @RoyAkarshak
Photo: Oleg Bkhambri. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.