Premier League football is not that far away now, but the international break has perhaps come at a weird time, to the annoyance of the club managers. Germany faced Spain in group D of the UEFA Nations League on Thursday, and the game ended 1-1. There were a couple of Chelsea players involved in the game, most notable Timo Werner.
Werner was one of the hottest properties on the transfer market and Chelsea won the race for his signature, and the German forward is expected to light up Stamford Bridge with his exhilarating displays in front of goal.
Thursday’s friendly was an opportunity for some of the Chelsea fans to watch their player in the national team colours, and he put in a solid display, and scored the only goal for his side.
So what can be taken from Werner’s display for the German national side?
Timo Werner showed the composure, but he can improve in some areas
The game had plenty of sparring, but did not have too many goals, clearly because the players hadn’t played together for nearly a year. So essentially, this was a glorified friendly.
Germany played a 3-4-3 setup, with Werner starting up top, and wad flanked by Julian Draxler and Leroy Sane. While Sane is a direct runner, Draxler is someone who likes combining with the attackers or pick a pass. It is likely that Werner will play in a similar setup at Chelsea.
In terms of holding the ball, Werner had an okay game, but we didn’t really see the German bring others into play. Against the imposing figure of Sergio Ramos, Werner didn’t have the best of games in terms of holding the ball, but the performance can be deemed passable.
He played on the shoulders of the defenders, and found space to run into. Against teams who will play a high line, Werner will be a menace. But then again, considering the pace Chelsea will have in Werner, Christian Pulisic, and Hakim Ziyech, very few teams will be brave enough to do that.
Werner also drifted into the wide areas to create openings for his teammates inside the box. At VfB Stuttgart, he started off as a winger, so he can play in that role as well, if the need arises.
Timo. Werner. Scores. Goals. @ChelseaFC's summer signing finds room in the box and leaves David De Gea with no chance
📺 Watch the #NationsLeague clash on Sky Sports PL nowpic.twitter.com/2MkX55StVb
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 3, 2020
It is his composure in the final third that was the most impressive aspect. The goal, courtesy of an assist by the impressive Robin Gosens, was an excellently taken shot by Werner. It’s only early season, but his confidence to shift the ball to his right to create space for a shot was impressive, and the Spanish defenders could not cope with the speed at which Werner executed the finish.
That is one area where the world-class can be separated from the good strikers, and Werner can put away chances like that, Chelsea will score a lot more in the coming season.
Early on in the game, Germany were a lot more proactive, and Werner with his driving runs was always a threat. It remains to be seen how Chelsea will line up with him, but they sure have one hell of a player on their hands.
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