There’s little doubt now that both Kai Havertz and Timo Werner are struggling to cop with the rigours of the Premier League.
The Chelsea duo have shown glimpses of what they are about, but that’s all. Neither have consistently given performances similar to those they were displaying week in and week out in the Bundesliga.
In order to get the best out of Werner in particular, former Chelsea man turned pundit, Tony Cascarino, has come up with an interesting suggestion.
“It’s a tricky one,” he said to talkSPORT.
“[…] It’s a bit like Michael Owen; Michael Owen without Emile Heskey was never going to be the same player.
“Michael was blisteringly quick but had not the greatest of touches, but he always fired goals when he had a big lad beside him to take the pressure off him.
“Werner is exactly the same to me; he is blisteringly quick, his touch is not exceptional, he’s technically not bad but not great… he can’t play centre-forward on his own.”
Cascarino could’ve perhaps come up with a more modern example of the type of striker to which he alludes, but in any event the point he makes is a valid one.
Though the game has moved on, in England particularly, an ‘old school’ centre-forward that doesn’t mind the physicality of the Premier League will always score you goals.
Lampard will likely have money to spend in the transfer window, but it does beg the question as to why Olivier Giroud doesn’t have a permanent starting spot in the XI, especially as his form is so good right now.