“TThere will surely be more from him,” said Ange Postecoglou when asked about Timo Werner before Tottenham visited Villa Park on Sunday. He was right. Werner scored his first league goal for Spurs in his 3-1 victory over Crystal Palace last weekend, earning the all-important equalizer as Spurs came from behind to win, and added another in the 4-0 victory against Villa on Sunday.
Werner came off the bench against Villa and outplayed Emiliano Martinez as Spurs took a big step towards finishing in the top four. Taking into account his assists in games against Manchester United and Brentford in January, the German has been directly involved in four goals in seven games for Spurs. For a player who struggled for consistency during his time with Chelsea, he seems much more confident in an established system where expectations are not as high as they were at Stamford Bridge.
When it emerged that Spurs were pursuing the 28-year-old earlier in the year, many scoffed at the idea of the Germany international returning to England. He had failed at Chelsea, scoring just 10 league goals for the club in 56 appearances, and was even struggling for playing time at RB Leipzig, where Loïs Openda, Yussuf Poulsen and Benjamin Sesko were ahead of him in the order. hierarchical under the command of Marco Rose. .
However, Spurs saw enough in Werner to sign him on loan in January with a view to making the deal permanent for £15million in the summer. With each passing week, the argument to pay up and extend his stay beyond this season grows stronger. His time at Chelsea tarnished his reputation, even if he did win the Champions League, but he is proving to be a very useful player for Postecoglou.
Werner's direct run down the left flank is a good weapon for Spurs, particularly against teams that leave gaps behind their defences. His teammates can spot Werner in space, giving him the opportunity to use his speed down the flank and engage his marker. Only Dejan Kulusevski (1.7) is completing more dribbles per 90 minutes than Werner (1.5) for Spurs in the league this season.
Long-term injuries to Manor Solomon and Ivan Perisic (who has since left for hometown club Hajduk Split) meant Spurs needed a direct attacking threat from the left flank for the second half of the campaign. Werner could be that way out.
He also offers a different dynamic than the other forwards at Postecoglou's disposal. Kulusevski is capable of beating a man one on one, using his speed of thought to beat a defender, but he is not the fastest. Brennan Johnson is a speedster, but he lacks the end product at times and his confidence has been up and down this season. Werner can leave defenders in dust when he builds up his strength and can take on full-backs using either foot, making him a real challenge for even the firmest of backlines.
He's also valuable to the Spurs defensively. With Postecoglou they are one of the teams that puts the most pressure in the first division – only Manchester City (201) have won possession in the attacking third more times than Spurs (184) in the league this season. Werner has been key in this sense. He is winning possession in the attacking third more often (every 52.6 minutes) than any other Spurs player. Of other regulars in the league, only Kevin De Bruyne recovers the ball more frequently (every 44.8 minutes) than the German. It's an underrated quality in Werner's game, but one that has helped him quickly establish himself at Spurs. Postecoglou has turned this defensive contribution into a real advantage.
Considering Werner's versatility (he can operate from the left flank or through the centre), it's a no-brainer that Spurs should make his move permanent come the end of the season, especially if he continues to build on his strong start. life in London.
