Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel gives his verdict of Romelu Lukaku and Kai Havertz ahead of their Premier League clash vs Crystal Palace
In his pre-match conference (h/t Football.London), Thomas Tuchel has backed Kai Havertz and Romelu Lukaku to deliver more consistently for Chelsea ahead of their match against Crystal Palace.
The Blues have spent huge sums of money in an attempt to bolster the attacking department of their squad. The London-based club spent a club-record £97.5m on re-signing the Belgian international whereas a mammoth fee of £75.8m was shelled to secure the services of the 22-year-old German midfielder.
Both of these players have struggled to justify their price tags ever since making the switch to Stamford Bridge and this has raised quite a few eyebrows. The 28-year-old striker scored some pivotal goals for the West Londoners in the semi-final as well as the final of the FIFA Club World Cup, helping the club lift the coveted trophy for the first time in their rich history.
The boss has his say on Romelu Lukaku and Kai Havertz
In his press conference (h/t Football.London), the German manager spoke about Lukaku. He highlighted that the former Manchester United striker is still adapting and also shed light on his role in the final of the Club World Cup:
“It’s an ongoing process. We still have trust because he has proved at any club he has played for he is the guy who gets the last touch on attacks – he had a very important goal in the Club World Cup final.”
However, the former Inter Milan forward has struggled to recreate that same form in the Premier League as well as the UEFA Champions League. These are still early days for Lukaku at the club, but the supporters would be hoping for better displays on a more consistent basis from the player
Havertz stepped up and scored the winning goal in the final of the Club World Cup against Palmeiras, but just like the Belgian striker has struggled to maintain the same quality of performances in other competitions for the Blues. The German international took the Bundesliga by storm during his time with Bayer Leverkusen and the fans would be hoping that he can produce some of that magic more frequently with Chelsea.
In his presser (h/t Football.London), the 48-year-old manager has retained his faith in the young German midfielder and stated that the 22-year-old is stepping up:
“We should not wait too long. If we isolate the goalscoring, then yes we expect more and he expects more for sure. But the consistency in terms of what he is giving to the team, I think he has stepped up already and is pretty consistent.”
Transitioning from another league to the Premier Leaue is always a tough task due to the speed and physical nature of the game. this becomes even more difficult if you’re part of a top club like Chelsea where you are constantly under the scanner from the media as well as the fan base.
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Few players take time to settle into a new environment and the German manager seems to believe that the attacking duo will certainly step up their performances. With a host of injuries and a packed schedule, this could be the perfect time to step up to the plate and make an impact by showing their determination and ability on the pitch.
