Kai question mark
New signing Havertz struggling during early days with the Blues
FRANK LAMPARD’S plan to play Kai Havertz up front against Liverpool failed by his standards. It follows Chelsea’s 2-0 loss to the Premier League champions, and while it is too early to make judgments that does not mean observations cannot be made.
This is set to be a season like none other – with no pre-season, we may see some shock results, wild scorelines but, mainly, players will be struggling with fitness.
Essentially, these first few games are a makeshift means of friendlies – but with points at stake. And every point in the Premier League is worth more than gold.
So playing your club-record transfer out of position against the best team in the League is a gamble to put mildly.
But that is exactly what Lampard did against Liverpool, when Havertz – a No. 10 by trade – was told to play as a striker.
It did not work, the players looked confused and toothless in attack, basically giving Timo Werner the ball and telling him to make something out of nothing.
In Lampard’s defence, it must also be remarked that this is not a full-strength Chelsea team.
Christian Pulisic, Hakim Ziyech, Thiago Silva and Ben Chilwell and a handful of players missing.
But Lampard got his team selection wrong and the fact he chose to pull Havertz off at halftime for Fikayo Tomori to accommodate Andreas Christensen’s red card spoke volumes.
Sky Sports pundit and Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher questioned whether Havertz is a good signing for the Blues and wonders where Havertz fits in with Lampard’s current system.
“I do look and think, ‘where does Havertz play? Where does he fit into a 43-3?’ He almost looks like a No. 10 and we don’t see them as much in football now. Where he played today, I don’t think that suited Chelsea,” Carragher said.
And his fellow pundit Jamie Redknapp insists Havertz needs to be given time to settle following his tricky start to life in west London.
“You’ve got to give Havertz time,” Redknapp said. “We have to be careful. We’re judging a player.
“I think Havertz is a No. 10. With the three they played in midfield today, you need a bit more craft.”
Chelsea return to action in the League Cup this week, taking on Barnsley on Wednesday before visiting West Brom on Saturday in the Premier League. – Express Newspapers