Timo Werner has more critics than most Premier League players, and quite possibly doesn’t have a long-term future at Tottenham, but there is still value to having him around.
With a nightmare performance against AZ Alkmaar last week, many of Timo Werner’s remaining defenders gave up on him.
Last Thursday night, the Tottenham forward put in a display of concerning ineptitude. He completed just 70% of his passes, the lowest of any Spurs player to attempt at least 15, giving the ball away all too frequently and all too easily.
His pass success rate dropped to 61.5% in the final third, and his wastefulness in possession was part of the reason the home side were unable to maintain sustained pressure on opponents they would have hoped to beat more comfortably than they did.
Werner was at the heart of a few of the best chances that the home side created, and he did put a promising cross into the box for Mikey Moore early on, but that was to be the highlight of his night.
He spurned two huge chances when through on goal with the game still goalless, firing one effort tamely down the centre of the goal for an easy save, and leaning back to lift the other high over the bar from close range. Those were his only two touches in the opposition box before he was hooked at half-time, replaced by Brennan Johnson, with Moore moving over to the left to replace Werner and thrilling the fans with a performance full of dribbling, tricks and an unerring belief in himself.
For many Spurs fans, that was the last they wanted to see of Werner, whose profligate finishing against AZ was merely the tip of the iceberg. It was far from the first time he had wasted too many chances and good positions in a Spurs shirt this season.
News on Sunday afternoon, then, that in the absence of injured captain Son Heung-min, Moore was starting on the left flank for the trip to Crystal Palace was met with widespread glee among supporters. Academy product Moore is incredibly highly rated at the club and fans are understandably both hugely excited to see him play and desperate for him to succeed. The possibility that manager Ange Postecoglou deemed the 17-year-old first-team ready is very exciting.
Tottenham flyer Timo Werner may have scored in the 2-1 EFL Cup win over Manchester City but a familiar failing was still on display and it was one noted by talkSPORT host Paul Hawksbee.
Spurs hosted the Premier League champions in the round of 16 of the Carabao Cup and scored two early goals in the first half, with the Germany international breaking the deadlock in the fifth minute.
Werner’s finish for the goals was impressive, but the forward had other one-on-one opportunities against Stefan Ortega, which he failed to capitalise on, and Hawksbee raised the issue on talkSPORT [31 October, 13:09].
“The classic thing of a player with no time to think just putting their foot through it,” he said on Werner’s goal.
“The minute he’s back in the situation where he’s one-on-one with the keeper, he fluffed his line. He fluffed his lines a couple of times.”
Timo Werner problem persists at Tottenham
During the German’s previous stint in the Premier League with Chelsea, he was one of the most wasteful players.
That has not changed for the 28-year-old in North London, and the fanbase should accept that he isn’t a prolific goalscorer.
Werner brings pace and agility to the team, which can be effective on the counter since Ange Postecoglou likes to play a high line.
Against Manchester City, the German national’s ability was on display for the first goal as a quick transition led to the forward finding himself in front of goal.
But despite finding the back of the net, Werner showed the same fragility he has had during his time at Spurs.
The former RB Leipzig forward had 56 per cent passing accuracy, 50 per cent shot accuracy, created zero chances and missed one big opportunity, as per FotMob.
He didn’t contribute defensively either, losing four of his five duels and winning zero tackles, and went off in the 67th minute after holding his groin.
The 28-year-old should be seen as a backup and can be a decent option for Postecoglou to call upon from the bench, but he is clearly incapable of carrying the team on his own.
