Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel issues warning to Timo Werner ahead of Real Madrid encounter
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel praised two-goal misfit Timo Werner but cautioned him: “This is a start, but it is up to you to dig yourself out of this rut.”
The Germany striker has had a terrible season, plagued by injuries and a loss of form, but his two goals and a scintillating performance at St Mary’s against an admittedly pathetic Southampton proved that the £47.5million striker may be rediscovering his touch.
Tuchel’s side rebounded from an abysmal week that included defeats at the hands of Brentford and Real Madrid with an emphatic display on the South Coast.
They will, however, rarely face an opponent as sluggish as Southampton.
And, as Chelsea manager cautioned, saving their Champions League season in Madrid on Tuesday night will be an immeasurably more difficult challenge.
Where do you even begin in Southampton? The two Ukrainians who raised their flag over the Chelsea directors’ box – despite the fact that Roman Abramovich was definitely not present – showed more fight in five minutes before being dragged out by stewards than this Saints side.
So, Werner, who hadn’t scored in the league since October (again, against the Saints), had a good day. Tuchel, on the other hand, is ruthless.
The German said: “Have I had a talk with him about his form? It would have been a long talk from October until April!
“At some point there are no words. You have to help yourself. You sign for Chelsea, you have to live up to it and accept the pressure that comes with it – and you have to help yourself. You have to be ready when the chance comes, and that is what he did. It will do him good, but it was so necessary. He looked confident.
“There were a lot of things made for his style of play. These are the kind of performances strikers need, and we need from the strikers – it is a give and take. Timo’s attitude is always good – but he still needs to adapt. He used to play regularly, for teams that were built for him. But he needs to adapt, and to the physicality of the league. The process is not finished but it was a step in the right direction.”
Werner, of course, still managed to hit the woodwork twice, fluff another fine chance, and net twice. Your old auntie, on the other hand, could have scored a hat-trick against this Saints defense.
Before Chelsea scored in the seventh minute, when Marcos Alonso hammered home, the striker hit the post and the bar.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek pulled the ball back ten minutes later, Saints couldn’t clear, and Mason Mount blasted in.
After four minutes, Werner skillfully ran around the goalkeeper and scored off a Chelsea break.
Surprisingly, it was four by the 31st minute, when Mohamed Salisu lost the ball to Werner, who missed the post with his attempt, but Kai Havertz blasted in the rebound.
It was 4-0, and Saints’ imaginations were racing with images of recent 9-0 thrashings by Leicester and Manchester United.
In the end, Werner touched in after N’Golo Kante’s attempt was saved by Fraser Forster, and Mount knocked in a rebound after Christian Pulisic’s shot was stopped. St Mary’s was half-empty at the time. They’d seen everything before.
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Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel issues warning to Timo Werner ahead of Real Madrid encounter
