Vesper 30,231 Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 Cox and Worville: How Timo Werner has evolved into one of Europe’s best forwards https://theathletic.com/1613834/2020/02/19/cox-and-worville-how-timo-werner-has-evolved-into-one-of-europes-best-forwards/ Things were all-square at the top of the standings as Timo Werner travelled to Bayern Munich with his RB Leipzig team-mates last weekend. In Leipzig’s biggest match of the season so far, Werner produced his most prolific game, racking up four more to put himself into outright first place. No, we’re not talking about the goalscoring charts — we’re talking about offsides. Nobody in Europe’s five major leagues has been caught offside as often as Werner, whose tally of 32 puts him just ahead of Lille striker Victor Osimhen. It’s a telling reflection of Werner’s style: consistently running in behind the opposition defence. Being caught offside is of course not, in itself, a particular virtue, but Werner makes it work. Just as the players who have had the most off-target shots or conceded possession the most are generally those who also contribute the most in a positive sense, it’s a calculated gamble. Only Lazio’s Ciro Immobile (26) and Robert Lewandowski of Bayern (23) have scored more goals this season in Europe’s top leagues, with Immobile’s tally vastly inflated by 10 penalties. A sizeable proportion of Werner’s goals follow a a single pattern — running in behind from an inside-left position before finishing a one-on-one confidently, often by rounding the goalkeeper. “I like to knock the ball three or four metres ahead of me when I’m on the counter or have space in front of me,” he explained at the Confederations Cup three years ago, where he finished as joint-top scorer. “That way, I can increase the distance between a defender and myself.” The key, of course, is Werner’s sensational acceleration. Some players’ speed only becomes obvious over the space of 30 or 40 yards but Werner is immediately quick, taking him clear of the defence seemingly without much effort. As with many quick players, Werner was originally deployed as a winger in his formative years, using his speed on the right flank to go down the outside. His crossing was never particularly consistent, however, and it was no surprise when, as with so many modern forwards, he found his true home on the opposite flank, cutting inside and shooting, before gradually being deployed more as an onrushing forward. Werner’s relationship up front with Yussuf Poulsen is easy to understand — Werner is 5ft 11in, Poulsen is 6ft 4in. While Werner has been caught offside 32 times this season, Poulsen hasn’t been even once. Werner has won four aerial battles all season, Poulsen 28. Werner wears No 11, the number of a quick wide player, Poulsen wears No 9, the classic penalty-box striker. Together, they combine well, in exactly the manner you would expect from these statistics. The intriguing thing about Werner’s positioning, however, is that Leipzig manager Julian Nagelsmann has attempted to move him deeper this season, more as an inside-left than a pure on-the-shoulder striker. This, Nagelsmann believes, is the optimum way to use Werner’s speed. “We’ve started him a bit deeper. We don’t want him right on the last line because he needs a bit of a head start, a bit of tempo, in order to really show his pace on the pitch,” he explained in an interview with the Bundesliga’s website last month. “When he’s on the last line, he often finds himself static when he needs to get going but with a bit of room in front of him, he can hit top speed. And from this deeper position, he’s much more involved in our build-up play and combinations. “In the last few years, all his moments have come in transition, whereas now, he has his moments in combination play too. He’s having many more touches of the ball than in previous years and this new position has done his development good, playing in between the lines against teams who sit deep.” It’s no surprise to learn that Nagelsmann is up to speed on Werner’s statistics and the frequency of his touches, and his slightly different role is reflected in the numbers for the latter… Werner is now markedly more involved in his sides’ attacking moves under Nagelsmann than he was under Ralf Rangnick and Ralph Hasenhuttl. The reason for that being that Leipzig have more of an interest in using possession this season. They have had more sequences of ten or more passes already this season after 22 games (256) than they had last season (200) and the season before (248). It seems likely Werner will be forced to work more in deeper positions as their two-legged Champions League last-16 tie against Tottenham Hotspur begins on Wednesday night because Spurs head coach Jose Mourinho will surely be terrified of his speed and order his defence to take up an even deeper defensive line than usual, even in this home leg. That’s why Mourinho will be particularly disappointed to be without his own equivalent of Werner, Son Heung-min. Son’s winner at the weekend in the 3-2 victory over Aston Villa was the type of goal Werner has scored so many times this season — exploiting a mistake by an opposition defender playing in a high line, running through in that inside-left position and finishing calmly from a tight angle. Another statistical metric can be used to demonstrate their similarity. Here’s a ranking of players who have taken shots at goal having carried the ball for at least five metres before the shot, from Europe’s five major leagues. Werner leads the way with 30, ahead of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, with Son in the chasing pack just behind. In a game that could be about knocking the ball in behind the opposition defence, Son’s absence is a major blow for Spurs. At the other end, Werner’s speed could be the tie’s decisive factor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vesper 30,231 Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 £25m offer (meeting the ask) supposedly soon for Juan Musso of Udinese Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZAPHOD2319 4,819 Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 Is he better than Kepa? I know nothing about him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase 43,479 Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 Already speaking like he's gonna join Liverpool... Vesper 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killer1257 3,282 Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 Already speaking like he's gonna join Liverpool... He missed two 100% Chances today.Gesendet von meinem SM-G920F mit Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NikkiCFC 8,337 Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 We can't have them all. Let's get Sancho. And I have my doubts he would turn good as solo striker. Klopp yesterday replaced his two wingers early so he may try to go for another expensive one. Nicco and killer1257 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase 43,479 Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 1 minute ago, NikkiCFC said: We can't have them all. Let's get Sancho. And I have my doubts he would turn good as solo striker. Klopp yesterday replaced his two wingers early so he may try to go for another expensive one. He took Mane off at HT because he was worried Atletico were going to get him sent off, he was already on a yellow. And subbing Salah off in the 72nd minute is hardly considered early. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase 43,479 Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 13 minutes ago, killer1257 said: He missed two 100% Chances today. Gesendet von meinem SM-G920F mit Tapatalk Yeah, I know... ...But first with Ampadu and now Werner. Are you on a pointing mistake spree here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDA 9,945 Posted February 20, 2020 Share Posted February 20, 2020 Werner looked average to me. Maybe an off game by the lad but still wasn't what I was expecting. Didn't live up the hype. killer1257 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase 43,479 Posted February 20, 2020 Share Posted February 20, 2020 34 minutes ago, DDA said: Werner looked average to me. Maybe an off game by the lad but still wasn't what I was expecting. Didn't live up the hype. Sancho looked bang average against Spurs at this stage last season and no one said anything or cared... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDA 9,945 Posted February 20, 2020 Share Posted February 20, 2020 5 hours ago, Jason said: Sancho looked bang average against Spurs at this stage last season and no one said anything or cared... But, but, it is Jadon Snacho. Certified baller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase 43,479 Posted February 20, 2020 Share Posted February 20, 2020 Just now, DDA said: But, but, it is Jadon Snacho. Certified baller. In the Bundesliga, where Werner is also doing the business... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicco 927 Posted February 20, 2020 Share Posted February 20, 2020 Werner had an okay game, sure far worse than his usual display but if we're slating him for missing sitters we should look at Tammy who misses at least a sitter every single match. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NikkiCFC 8,337 Posted February 20, 2020 Share Posted February 20, 2020 9 hours ago, Jason said: Sancho looked bang average against Spurs at this stage last season and no one said anything or cared... Were we even linked with him back then? And he was 18 years old at the time. Werner is 24 soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase 43,479 Posted February 20, 2020 Share Posted February 20, 2020 11 minutes ago, NikkiCFC said: Were we even linked with him back then? Does it matter? 11 minutes ago, NikkiCFC said: And he was 18 years old at the time. Werner is 24 soon. So? People have been labeling him a "generational talent", best teenager in the world etc. If he's as good as that, as people make him out to be, then forgive me for expecting a lot more from the player, which Sancho certainly didn't prove that against Spurs even though he was doing well in the Bundesliga last season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vesper 30,231 Posted February 20, 2020 Share Posted February 20, 2020 20 hours ago, Jason said: Already speaking like he's gonna join Liverpool... I been trying for weeks to say this, lolol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase 43,479 Posted February 20, 2020 Share Posted February 20, 2020 6 minutes ago, Vesper said: I been trying for weeks to say this, lolol Vesper 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vesper 30,231 Posted February 20, 2020 Share Posted February 20, 2020 SHOOT ME NOW Willian eager to remain in London as Chelsea contract nears expiration https://www.goal.com/en/news/willian-eager-to-remain-in-london-as-chelsea-contract-nears/jvwtyml01xei1ic75xvc6w3rv Willian reveals he has passed a British citizenship test (after failing twice) and his wife and daughters don't want to leave London despite there being just six months left on his Chelsea deal https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-8025409/Willian-reveals-family-dont-want-leave-London-despite-having-six-months-left-Chelsea-deal.html killer1257 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoroccanBlue 5,385 Posted February 20, 2020 Share Posted February 20, 2020 Club needs to make a choice here. Accept mediocrity, or strive for better. Vesper 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase 43,479 Posted February 20, 2020 Share Posted February 20, 2020 4 minutes ago, Vesper said: SHOOT ME NOW Willian eager to remain in London as Chelsea contract nears expiration https://www.goal.com/en/news/willian-eager-to-remain-in-london-as-chelsea-contract-nears/jvwtyml01xei1ic75xvc6w3rv Willian reveals he has passed a British citizenship test (after failing twice) and his wife and daughters don't want to leave London despite there being just six months left on his Chelsea deal https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-8025409/Willian-reveals-family-dont-want-leave-London-despite-having-six-months-left-Chelsea-deal.html #signhimuproman Vesper 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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