<div><figure class="image"></figure></div>
<p>Kai Havertz’s recent performances at <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.com/teams/chelsea-tv-schedule/">Chelsea</a> continue to look rusty. In the set of summer friendlies for the Blues, Havertz played at least 45 minutes in each game. While in the United States, this included losses to Arsenal, 4-0, and Charlotte FC on penalties.</p>
<p>As a club, Thomas Tuchel says the side looks unprepared. This tense feeling alleviated somewhat in the Blues’ 3-1 victory at Udinese a week before the Premier League campaign. Part of that comes from Tuchel ushering out his projected best starting XI for the upcoming campaign.</p>
<p>In many ways, this paid dividends. New boys Raheem Sterling and Kalidou Koulibaly both looked sharp. The former of which held the opportunity to score a hat trick with the slew of chances coming his way. Sterling managed to grab one of Chelsea’s goals and looked threatening throughout the fixture.</p>
<p>Others, such as Mason Mount and N’Golo Kante, also put forth terrific displays against Udinese.</p>
<p>While other players picked up the slack with a week before the season, Kai Havertz looked out of place for Chelsea. He served as the main forward for Thomas Tuchel. Yet, he was lackluster upon receiving the ball.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, it is a microcosm of what the former Bayer Leverkusen brought to Stamford Bridge upon his <a href="https:\/\/www.transfermarkt.us/kai-havertz/transfers/spieler/309400" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$88 million transfer</a> in September 2020. The German failed to elevate his game in terms of goals, assists and impactful performances over his two seasons in England.</p>
<p>Some argue that he is still young and can develop. Plus, he scored significant goals in the 2021 UEFA Champions League Final and ensuing FIFA Club World Cup. Even then, the silky forward lacks in key areas at the moment. Pressure starts to mount over the need to put forth consistent performances over an extended period of time.</p>
<h5>Lack of consistency</h5>
<p>Kai Havertz showed glimpses of greatness during this spell at Chelsea. He exhibits incredible touches, exquisite ball control and clinical finishing from time to time. For instance, the stoppage-time winner against Newcastle last season was superb. The win in March allowed Chelsea a boost for the closing months of the season to secure third plance.</p>
<p>His silky touch and elegant finish drew comparisons to Premier League greats Dennis Bergkamp and Dimitar Berbatov. Moments like this come few and far between. It is not a question of talent, but rather frequency and consistency.</p>
<p>Kai Havertz contributed just eight goals and three assists in his first season at Chelsea. The second season brought a slight improvement to 14 goals and four assists. Even then, the concern is that this number needs to grow. One thing holding that tally back is his ruthlessness in front of goal.</p>
<h5>Timid in attack</h5>
<p>A lack of ‘killer instinct’ plagued Havertz. He has moments of potential to be more aggressive. Yet, he lacks that previous Chelsea fire of Didier Drogba or Diego Costa.</p>
<p>When wide players or midfielders get into dangerous positions in the opponent’s half, forwards need to make positive runs towards the six-yard box or look for potential through balls. Havertz does not perform this seemingly simple task off the ball.</p>
<p>Another aspect that the forward needs to work on is his general finishing. As discussed earlier, convincing finishes are in the German’s locker. Oftentimes, his shots go wide or do not ask much of the keeper. It is evident from Havertz’s game that he prefers gentle and clinical finishes. The greatest strikers know when to apply measured shots versus when to truly put their laces through the ball.</p>
<div><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-395145" src="https:\/\/ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https:\/\/images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/WST_20220804_CMS_395130_Havertz-header.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=725" alt="" width="1200" height="725" srcset="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2022/08/Havertz-header.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2022/08/Havertz-header-600x363.jpg 600w, https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2022/08/Havertz-header-150x91.jpg 150w, https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2022/08/Havertz-header-768x464.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></div>
<h5>Lack of confidence</h5>
<p>Mental attributes are key to any player’s performances. In Havertz’s case, it is apparent that there is a mental block when it comes to taking on opponents.</p>
<p>The German possesses bursting speed. However, he is often afraid to take risks and carry the ball forward. Charging forward against smaller, less noteworthy opposition is one thing. Chelsea fans have yet to see that on a regular basis against the ‘big’ sides. Perhaps the fast-paced nature of English soccer contributes to this mental block. Whatever it may be, it holds back. Until the German can overcome that, he is not truly successful in the league.</p>
<p>This is visible in the way Kai Havertz plays the ball at Chelsea. Upon reception in advanced areas of the pitch, his first instinct is to step back and look for support rather than dribbling at defenders. Consequently, potentially dangerous attacks dwindle into dust. Contrarily, players like <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.com/2022/07/14/raheem-sterling-chelsea/">Raheem Sterling</a> or Christian Pulisic actively try to take on defenders. They win fouls, put dangerous balls into the box or get shots on target.</p>
<p>For what it is worth, Havertz’s movement is great. He finds himself in dangerous areas in the final third. Yet, the decision making is his bane.</p>
<p>Against Udinese this past Friday, he could have converted at least three chances in key moments. In each, he had a poor attempt on goal, lost possession carelessly or made the wrong pass.</p>
<h5>Positives</h5>
<p>This is not to overly criticize Havertz. There is a reason Thomas Tuchel continues to select the forward in the starting XI. For one, he has a great first touch and is composed on the ball. Even then, he can expand on these talents by playing more progressively.</p>
<p>One attribute that he excels at more than any other player in the team is heading. He bagged multiple goals in the 2021/22 campaign with his head. Therefore, Blues wingers and fullbacks look for more aerial crosses with Havertz in the middle.</p>
<p>Another positive is that Kai Havertz plays in his best position for Chelsea as the main striker or a false nine. During his first season in London, and sometimes during last season as well, he had been deployed in midfield or as a winger, areas in which his qualities were stifled.</p>
<h5>Moving forward</h5>
<p>As evident from Tuchel’s team selection during the pre-season games, Havertz is likely to spearhead the attack heading into the first game of the season against Everton. Supporting the German in attack would likely be new signing Sterling and Chelsea’s most consistent performer Mason Mount.</p>
<p>Provided that these three players can get several games under their belt early on during the season and barring any injuries, we could see a great attack forming especially as the chemistry between the trio builds.</p>
<p>Getting a consistent string of starts is only going to help Havertz gain more confidence and improve his sharpness in front of goal. He was forced to compete with Romelu Lukaku for the striker position last season and with Olivier Giroud the season before but he now has the opportunity to completely make this position his own.</p>
<p>This season presents a great opportunity for Havertz but could also prove to be a nail in the coffin for the young forward’s time at Stamford Bridge if he is not able to take his game to the next level.</p>
<p><em>PHOTOS:</em></p>
<ul>
<li><em>Title: Trevor Ruszkowski/ISI Photos/Getty Images</em></li>
<li><em>Second: Alex Livesey – Danehouse/Getty Images</em></li>
</ul>


Kai Havertz arrived at Chelsea in 2020 for almost $90 million. He has been fine, but he needs to do more to prove himself to the masses.

Kai Havertz running out of time to prove himself at Chelsea - World Soccer Talk

Kai Havertz running out of time to prove himself at Chelsea

<div><figure class="image"></figure></div>
<p>No English club has achieved a quintuple of trophies in one season. Most recently, Chelsea reached the pinnacle of the sport with a Champions League triumph in 2020/21. However, despite not picking up a Premier League trophy last season, the Blues show no sign of slowing down.</p>
<p>It has not always been a successful ride for Chelsea. Rather, their young talents came through along with a number of notable signings. To start the 2019/20, Chelsea legend Frank Lampard took the reigns. A transfer ban handcuffed Lampard in his first season. Still, the two-time England Player of the Year qualified for the Champions League and made it to the FA Cup Final. Lampard excelled at promoting youth in his first season.</p>
<p>Cobham Academy products Tammy Abraham, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Reece James, and most notably Mason Mount made strong impressions on the first team. Then, after the season-long transfer ban ended, Lampard brought in a multitude of weapons. On defense, Chelsea bought goalkeeper Edouard Mendy from Stade Rennais, left-back Ben Chilwell arrived from Leicester City, and the Blues acquired Thiago Silva on a free. Kai Havertz came over from Bayern Leverkusen for $88 million, Hakim Ziyech arrived from Ajax, and Timo Werner moved from RB Leipzig.</p>
<p>The elite arrivals did not play as expected. After an eight-match Premier League stretch with two wins, Chelsea sacked Lampard. Thomas Tuchel, most recently employed by Paris Saint Germain, took over as manager.</p>
<p>Now, with Tuchel riding the confidence of Chelsea’s second Champions League crown, there are no limits on this club’s potential.</p>
<h3>Quintuple possible with proven success</h3>
<p>Chelsea went unbeaten in their first 14 matches under the 2021 German Football Manager of the Year. Their form continued, and they ended up facing the best team in England on three different occasions in three different competitions. In all three instances, Chelsea won.</p>
<p>The Blues defeated Manchester City, 1-0, in the FA Cup Semifinal. Next, they knocked off the Premier League champions in a league game, 2-1. To close the season, Chelsea beat the Sky Blues 1-0 in the Champions League Final.</p>
<div class="ckeditor-em"><iframe loading="lazy" width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A\/\/api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1109212327&amp;color=%23ff5500&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false&amp;show_teaser=true"></iframe></div>
<div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https:\/\/soundcloud.com/worldsoccertalk" title="World Soccer Talk Podcast" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener">World Soccer Talk Podcast</a> · <a href="https:\/\/soundcloud.com/worldsoccertalk/nbcs-epl-coverage-faces-fierce-competition-from-espn" title="NBC&apos;s EPL coverage faces fierce competition from ESPN+" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener">NBC&apos;s EPL coverage faces fierce competition from ESPN+</a></div>
<p>Chelsea lost the FA Cup Final, 1-0, through a Youri Tielemans wonder strike for Leicester City. The club also finished fourth in the Premier League for the second-consecutive season.</p>
<p>The other competitions in the quintuple require qualification. The chance of a rare sextuple is gone, as Chelsea did not play in the FA Community Shield. However, the club’s Champions League success earned the Blues a spot in the FIFA Club World Cup. The argument that the Club World Cup is not a priority of the club is valid, domestic and continental success are at the forefront of Chelsea’s ambitions.</p>
<p>Still, Thomas Tuchel will take any chance he gets to acquire hardware with the London club.</p>
<h3>Thomas Tuchel’s success philosophy</h3>
<p>Thomas Tuchel is a manager who adapts his style to the players at his disposal. During his first 10 Premier League matches as manager, the German made 39 changes to his starting lineups.</p>
<p>Tuchel settled on a 3-4-2-1 formation. He compacted the middle of the pitch by suffocating opponents with aggressive pressing. The wingbacks stretch teams through width to create goal scoring opportunities. Chelsea also counterattacks through the middle with Mason Mount serving as the conduit between the midfield and the frontline. <a href="https:\/\/www.premierleague.com/news/2160743#:~:text=His%20Academy%20Graduate%20award%20completes,since%20John%20Terry%20in%202006." target="_blank" rel="noopener">The English international</a> won Chelsea Player of the Year and Premier League Academy Graduate of the Year.</p>
<blockquote><p><em>“There are no limits. He has the full package,”</em> Tuchel said about Mount.</p>
<p><em>“He is incredibly talented and even more importantly, he has the personality at a very young age to keep his feet on the ground, to arrive every day at Cobham with a smile on his face.”</em></p></blockquote>
<p>The arrivals brought in under Lampard’s regime also cemented their place in Tuchel’s lineup, more or less. Timo Werner still struggles based on his expectations coming to England. The German mustered just 12 goals in 52 appearances in his first season at Stamford Bridge.</p>
<h3>Increased ambition for 2021/22</h3>
<p>For a quintuple of trophies, a team cannot dip in form at any point.</p>
<div><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-342983 alignright" src="https:\/\/ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https:\/\/images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/WST_20210826_WST_342970_UEFA-Super-Cup-300x404.webp&amp;width=300&amp;height=404" alt="" width="300" height="404" srcset="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2021/08/UEFA-Super-Cup-300x404.jpg 300w, https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2021/08/UEFA-Super-Cup-150x202.jpg 150w, https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2021/08/UEFA-Super-Cup.jpg 393w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px"></figure></div>
<p>To start the 2021-22 season, Chelsea picked up the first available trophy, the UEFA Super Cup. The Blues defeated Spanish-side Villarreal on penalties.</p>
<p>Tuchel subbed on goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga in the 119<sup>th</sup> minute to replace Mendy for the spot kicks. His plan worked.</p>
<p>The next day, the West London club signed world-class <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/2021/08/19/chelsea-to-unleash-lukaku-on-underachieving-arsenal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">striker Romelu Lukaku</a>. The signing could benefit the club in two ways. For one, the club acquires one of Europe’s best goal scorers with a proven track record in England. Also, Timo Werner now has the inspiration to redeem himself and re-establish himself as a great striker.</p>
<p>Lukaku unsurprisingly scored the game-winning goal in his debut against Arsenal.</p>
<p>Also, Chelsea is not finished bolstering their squad with the time left in the transfer window. Jules Koundé is a name reverberating on the rumor mill at Stamford Bridge. As is Saúl Ñíguez, Atlético Madrid’s talisman in midfield.</p>
<p>Tuchel wants a competent, and perhaps elite, replacement at every position. The squad is also flexible enough to be effective in any system.</p>
<p>Winning a quintuple is not an expectation of Chelsea. If they were to accomplish the feat, it would undoubtedly be the best season in Chelsea’s history. Moreover, it may be the best season in English history.</p>
<p>Yet, a quintuple is on the cards. Chelsea already won the first trophy possible, their quest for the other four is underway.</p>
<div class="ck-youtube"><iframe loading="lazy" width="560" height="315" src="https:\/\/www.youtube.com/embed/Z0aDw_wZAIg" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>


No English Club achieved a quintuple of trophies in one season. Chelsea has a legitimate chance of picking up five trophies in one season.

ALL POSTS TAGGED "Kai Havertz" - Page 2

Chelsea

Kai Havertz running out of time to prove himself at Chelsea

Chelsea

Chelsea eyeing a coveted quintuple in 2021/22