The German forward endured a tough time under Frank Lampard, but hopes his spark will be rekindled with a fellow countryman at the helm
Timo Werner is embracing a fresh start at Chelsea under Thomas Tuchel after admitting to missing “so many chances” in his early Blues career with Frank Lampard at the helm.
A club legend at Stamford Bridge was the man to bring a prolific Germany international forward to English football.
Roman Abramovich sanctioned a £47.5 million ($66m) move for Werner, and saw him net eight goals early on, but a managerial change was made with the 24-year-old in the midst of a barren run that delivered one strike in 20 games for club and country.
What has been said?
Werner, who netted his first goal for Tuchel in a 2-0 win over Newcastle, has told Sky Sports of having a fellow countryman at the helm: “When you have a new manager it is, every time, a new beginning for everybody, so it was a new beginning for me as well, because I said, 'OK, I missed so many chances, I missed so many points and maybe I will start now.'
“I understood the old manager very well, it was not because of the language. But I think when you can talk German to someone, you can explain some things easier, and maybe he [Tuchel] would explain things easier than the old manager, for example, because it can be different when you talk to someone in your own language.
“Maybe misunderstanding a word can make a sentence completely different.
“I think he has changed me in this way to give me his trust and change my confidence.
“I don't care about the missed chances or the past. I want to look to the future to get the team back to the top and to score goals.”
Werner’s record at Chelsea
A big-money addition has taken in 34 appearances for the Blues.
Across those outings, he has found the target on 10 occasions and contributed six assists.
Questions were asked of his value to the collective cause when enduring struggles in front of goal, which stretched to 1,000 minutes at one stage, but a regular role has been retained.
Werner was winning penalties and teeing up others when suffering a barren run on an individual front, while his work rate and positive mentality have never been in question.
The bigger picture
Tuchel is being backed to bring the best out of Werner and fellow Germany international Kai Havertz – another expensive addition that has failed to live up to expectations in west London.
That remains an ongoing process, but Chelsea are yet to suffer defeat through eight fixtures under the new coach.
Progress has been made to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup and last-16 of the Champions League, while victory in a crunch clash with Manchester United on Sunday would lift the Blues back into the Premier League’s top four.