LEIP-ZIGGY STARDUST
Hasenhuttl: I coached Timo in Germany. He’s only happy when he scores.. let’s hope he’s unhappy at the Bridge today
TIMO WERNER has yet to break his Premier League duck for Chelsea – and his old boss Ralph Hasenhuttl is planning to leave him stuck at ground zero again today.
Southampton manager Hasenhuttl signed Werner as a raw 20- year- old for RB Leipzig and turned him into a “brutal weapon” as they finished runners-up to Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich in 2017 and, ultimately, into a £45million star.
Werner is “only happy when he scores” said the Saints gaffer, who hopes the Germany striker will be sulking once more at Stamford Bridge.
Hasenhuttl said: “Timo has not scored for Chelsea in this competition yet and hopefully it stays the same after the game! But I know him very well – I had two fantastic years working with him.
“I gave him his debut at Leipzig and he was amazing for us, scoring 24 goals in the Bundesliga in his first season.
“I’ve worked with a lot of players and he is definitely one of the quickest, with a fantastic finish. He is a fantastic signing for Chelsea.
“We will do everything to stop him, but it would be a big mistake to concentrate only on Timo Werner. We brought him to Leipzig from Stuttgart for small money but we knew the game we played was perfect for him.
“He’s becoming more and more the complete striker and he can score goals that no one else scores.
“And then when he gets space, I’ve always said that he’s very tough to defend against. We must do it together with a very good game plan – it will be a big challenge for our defence.”
Werner was on target in midweek when Germany drew 3-3 with Switzerland in the Nations League and he also found the net during Chelsea’s Carabao Cup tie with Tottenham last month.
He was part of Chelsea boss Frank Lampard’s £220m trolley dash in the transfer window, which also included the signings of keeper Edouard Mendy, defenders Ben Chilwell and Thiago Silva, midfielder Hakim Ziyech, plus record signing Kai Havertz, Werner’s compatriot.
Hasenhuttl, who believes Lampard has recruited an enviable collection of talent, admitted Saints face a more difficult task than last season, when his new formation caused an upset by winning 2-0 at Stamford Bridge on Boxing Day.
He said: “If they weren’t a better team now it would mean they have spent the money for nothing.
“Definitely they have to be a better team than last season because, with Timo, Havertz z and a few other signings, nso they have so much quality now. Normally Nords a team spends big when they are preparing paring to win titles and trophies. ies
“And in the end it will be more difficult than last season for us.
“We had two different games last season – the first we lost at home, the second we played fantastically. The level was high. We must reach that level again because otherwise it will be difficult to get anything.”