Chelsea forward Timo Werner has admitted that he is finding the Premier League tougher than he expected. The German moved to England in the summer having become one of the hottest prospects in the Bundesliga with RB Leipzig. Despite his struggles, Werner is Chelsea’s joint-top scorer this season with eight. However, he hasn’t found the net at club level in over a month, last scoring in the 4-1 win against Sheffield United.
Timo Werner Admits Premier League is Tougher Than He Expected
Price Tag Affecting Werner
Big-money moves can often take time to work. The pressure of playing having moved for such a high price can take a toll on players, and this appears to be what is happening with Werner.
Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: “It does matter how much you cost. It’s always a bit of pressure when you come to a new club. But I think I can handle it very well. It’s not something new.
“The pressure is a little bit higher than the previous years but I think good footballers are the best under pressure and that’s my plan, I can do very well under pressure.
“The Premier League is a little bit different to my old league. It’s tougher than I thought. The contact here is harder than in Germany, it’s what I expected but not like this.”
Could Position Be a Factor?
While playing in the Bundesliga, Werner showed that he could play in multiple positions across the front line. His preferred and most natural position was as the main striker, but his ability to also play on the left-hand side made him an appealing option for Chelsea.
Since Olivier Giroud has also come into form (he is tied on eight goals this season with Werner), the Frenchman has made that central role his own, leaving Werner to play on the left.
It hasn’t worked to quite the same effect as previously, with Giroud’s up-turn and Werner’s down-turn coinciding.
If Frank Lampard is to get the best out of Werner, he should consider putting him back into the central role.
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