Chris Sutton has given a critical verdict on Chelsea forward Timo Werner, who was dropped from the starting XI last night for the first time this season in the Premier League.
Despite going ahead through Olivier Giroud, the Blues had to settle for a point at Stamford Bridge in their 1-1 draw against Aston Villa, with Anwar El Ghazi netting an equaliser.
Blues manager Frank Lampard made six changes to the team that lost 3-1 to Arsenal two days beforehand, as he gave some fresh faces an opportunity to try turn things around.
Werner was used as a late substitute at home to Villa and failed to score with one goalscoring opportunity, but apart from that wasn’t given enough time to really influence the outcome.
The 24-year-old frontman was deployed down the middle late on, something which the manager has rarely done in recent weeks as he’s used the versatile man on the left wing.
BBC pundit and ex-Blues forward Sutton has not been impressed to Werner’s start to life in English football after joining in the summer from RB Leipzig.
“Timo Werner has been a massive disappointment and Kai Havertz has been too… I think Werner has been a bigger disappointment,” Sutton told BBC Sport.
“He has missed some really big opportunities. I know he is capable of playing a number of positions and playing them well. But I just wonder if Werner would rather play as a central striker.”
Werner, who has scored eight goals in 23 Chelsea games so far, is someone that is starting to divide opinions in the Chelsea fanbase already and the spotlight is firmly fixed on him.
The Germany international is a speedster that is a nightmare for opponents on the break and he was dynamite in the Bundesliga, but his finishing has been questionable at times in the opening few months of the season.
His qualities have been on show in a Chelsea shirt so far with his pace, movement and work-rate, but ultimately he’ll be judged on his goal output and it’s not where it should be for someone who’s been involved in so many chances.
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