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| Timo Werner of Germany controls the Ball during the international friendly match between Germany and Israel at PreZero-Arena on March 26, 2022 in Sinsheim, Germany. |
Chelsea striker Timo Werner says the football played by Germany boss Hansi Flick is a better fit for his skillset than the role asked of him by Thomas Tuchel.
The 26-year-old, who has struggled to live up to his £47.5million price tag since moving to Stamford Bridge from RB Leipzig in 2020, has only managed to net one Premier League goal so far this season for the west London club.
That goal came all the way back in October, with a combination of injuries, coronavirus and poor form meaning his only strikes since then have been against Chesterfield and Luton in the FA Cup.
In Werner’s defence, he has only started five of Chelsea’s 22 league matches since his last goal, with Tuchel recently preferring to use Kai Havertz as a false nine ahead of both Werner and club-record signing Romelu Lukaku.
But the former Leipzig forward looked dangerous in Germany’s 2-0 win against Israel on Saturday evening, adding to Havertz’s opener with a lovely finish as he darted in at the near post to guide a free-kick delivery past the keeper.
Werner has a solid international record, netting 22 goals in 48 caps, and six of those goals have come in the last six months since Flick took over, with the striker feeling his game is better suited to the way Germany play.
Speaking after his latest goal against Israel, Werner said: I’m a striker and I always want to score.
Things aren’t going the way I’d like at Chelsea, so it’s all the better that things are going well here under Hansi Flick.
I really enjoy playing football, no matter where I’m playing. There are differences in the style of play between football at Chelsea and here.
Maybe the one at the national team suits me better. Here, I always have scoring chances, I can score goals. I feel very comfortable here.
In the early stages of Tuchel’s reign at Chelsea, his side were hampered by profligate finishing from their wasteful frontmen – including Werner – though in recent months the European champions have had a harder time creating chances.
