https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2022/04/17/
tuchel-on-why-werner-is-an-example-for-strikers-everywhere
Tuchel on why Werner is an example for strikers everywhere
17 Apr 2022
Thomas Tuchel believes Timo Werner's performances in our last two matches
show how quickly things can change for strikers and should be an example
to others among his Chelsea team-mates and elsewhere. He also discusses
how our previous Wembley experiences can help us this time around.
https://i.imgur.com/lJTkURp.jpg
Werner heads into today's FA Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace as one
of the Blues' in-form players after scoring three times in our last two
matches, getting a brace in the 6-0 victory over Southampton last weekend
before scoring our third in a 3-2 second-leg win at Real Madrid on Tuesday
evening.
That sudden burst of activity in front of goal has obviously pleased our
head coach, who says Timo is making it very difficult to leave him out of
the starting line-up again at Wembley, as well as showing how the fortunes
of a goalscorer can change in an instant.
'He does make it hard to leave him out now,' Tuchel explained. 'I'm
impressed, he was very good in the last two games. Let's be honest, these
were the two games where he was much better than in any other game and he
showed what he's capable of.
'Everybody thinks that we do the line-up, and of course we do, but in the
end the players make it that you don't leave them out. They do it in
training or they do it in games. Of course the games are the opportunity
for everybody, especially for strikers.
https://i.imgur.com/jc5FfCa.jpg
Werner finds the net in our last match against Real Madrid
'Things can be turned around in minutes, in moments. Whole careers can be
upside down, in any direction, but you can always as a striker have the
chance to put things into your favour, as a substitute or if you have the
chance to perform from the beginning.
'He did it in the last two games and that's what we want from him and what
he needs to show to take care that he plays.'
Our head coach also feels Werner's rich vein of form can encourage another
of our strikers, Romelu Lukaku, who is hoping to return after missing our
last two matches through injury, and move on after being unable to take
advantage of a good opportunity on his last appearance, in the first leg
of our Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid.
'For sure. Romelu had a huge chance against Real Madrid and things can go
so fast. Nobody knows what him scoring would have done to us, if he took
his chance with a late header in the first leg.
'What Timo's done is exactly what he needs to do, of course. Wait, be
patient, work hard and put the team first and be ready to help the team,
because as a striker you can help within seconds and turn things around.'
We head to Wembley today looking to book a spot in the FA Cup final with a
win over Crystal Palace, following disappointment on our last two trips to
the national stadium, in last season's FA Cup final loss to Leicester City
and the Carabao Cup final defeat to Liverpool earlier this year.
https://i.imgur.com/xmBiszI.jpg
Tuchel sends on Werner and Lukaku against Liverpool at Wembley in the
Carabao Cup final
However, Tuchel believes we learned some important lessons, from the first
of those games in particular, given it came in the middle of a fierce
scrap for a top-four finish in the Premier League and with a Champions
League final looming large on the horizon.
'We were playing for a lot,' he said. 'We were playing for the top four,
we had the same game against Leicester straight away after in the league
and we needed to win, because we came from a loss against Arsenal.
'Maybe we needed this experience also to play the next final better in
Wembley, which we did, but unfortunately we lost on penalties against
Liverpool.
'Now it's a semi-final. We do things step by step, but it's a big
semi-final coming up and hopefully we can show the same development and
the same hunger and determination that we showed in the last matches.'