Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel suggested that Kai Havertz is now ahead of Romelu Lukaku in the striking pecking order due to his form and momentum.
Lukaku’s arrival in the summer clearly had an impact on Havertz and his role in the team.
The Germany international, who was the Blues’ first-choice number nine in the last months of the last season, had to re-adapt to playing a deeper, wider role when Lukaku slotted in as the primary striker.
Havertz himself recently admitted that he does not have any particular favourite position but enjoys playing as a false nine.
He has certainly proved that he can be effective in this position in the last few games.
Even Tuchel admitted that it is becoming more difficult to leave Havertz out of the team.
“Of course, it is what it is in the moment,” the Chelsea manager told the club’s official website.
“The players put themselves on the pitch with performances in training and matches.
“He gives a lot of intensity, he’s involved in goals, and he scored again, so it’s a very good moment, and it’s on him to keep on going.
“This is how it is. We played the last cup match without him, Timo [Werner] was very strong and was very close to starting [on Saturday], Romelu got his goal.
“We will need everybody, but at the moment Kai is in a very good shape.”
Havertz offers Chelsea ‘huge volume’, says Tuchel
The former Paris Saint-Germain manager also highlighted what Havertz offers to the team.
“He covers a lot of metres and in high intensity, so he finds the intensity no matter in what system the opponent defends against us,” Tuchel explained.
“He finds intensive runs, he finds distances and that’s what makes him.
“He uses his body more and more, he loves to create overloads in half-spaces and this is what he gives.
“It’s just his style of play, his characteristics as a player, and he’s in good shape, he’s confident.”
Unlike Lukaku who thrives in making runs in behind defenders, Havertz tends to drop deeper and get more involved in the build-up which arguably suits Chelsea’s possession-based football more.
Lukaku is arguably the better goalscorer of the two, but it is safe to say that he now has to fight his way back into the team given Havertz’s goalscoring form.
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