Kai Havertz of Chelsea reacts during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on September 20, 2020 in London, England. (Photo by Matt Dunham - Pool/Getty Images)
According to the Metro, Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has come out in defence of struggling star Kai Havertz after criticism over his desire and work-rate.
Havertz arrived at Chelsea last summer for a mammoth fee of £71m. However, the former Bayer Leverkusen playmaker has struggled to live up to the expectations that came along with the huge price-tag.
This has led to criticisms from a number of quarters, with ex-Chelsea ace Robert Huth also taking a shot at Havertz. The former defender was critical of the German’s work rate in the defeat to Leicester City earlier in the week.
“I just don’t like his body language at all, he looks a bit lightweight. It’s his first year, but he looks like he’s not bothered at times.”
Lampard, however, has quashed those comments, insisting that there is no lack of desire in Havertz.
“I can officially say from working with Kai that desire is absolutely not part of the issue. Let me tell you, his desire, the ground he covers in games is big, the data and the stats are big, and he needs time because we’ve seen this story so many times with players.”
The Chelsea manager then went on to compare Havertz to the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Mohamed Salah. The duo had endured a slow start to life in England at Chelsea, but over time have grown into modern greats of the Premier League, albeit at different clubs.
“Kevin De Bruyne and Mo Salah are players who were here at a similar age to Kai. They went away and took time and came back, and now they are absolute Premier League legends.”
There is certainly no doubting the quality that Havertz possesses. However, it is clear that he is struggling for confidence at the moment. In addition, there is a feeling that Lampard is yet to find the German’s ideal position on the field, which has affected his performances.
Given his potential though, patience will be key. Once he gets going, Havertz can be a huge game-changer for us for years to come.
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