Werner's miss against Real Madrid 'sums up' his struggles, says Hoddle
‘He won’t get a better chance in ANY game of football, let alone a semi-final of the Champions League’: ‘Timid’ Timo Werner’s GLARING miss against Real Madrid ‘sums up’ the German’s struggles in his first season at Chelsea, says Glenn Hoddle
- Timo Werner missed a sitter after being played in by a Christian Pulisic header
- The German striker saw his volley saved by the legs of Thibaut Courtois
- But Glenn Hoddle slammed Werner for his hesitancy in front of goal in Madrid
- Chelsea did take the lead through Pulisic before Karim Benzema equalised
Glenn Hoddle claims Timo Werner summed up his Chelsea career so far with his glaring miss against Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final.
The Blues started the first half of the last-four tie brightly and were presented with an excellent chance to take the lead through Werner before the ten-minute mark after Mason Mount’s run down the left.
The 25-year-old German – who scored his first goal in 15 games for club and country in the Blues’ weekend win at West Ham – received the ball after Christian Pulisic’s clever header from Mount’s deflected attempted shot at Madrid’s Estadio Alfredo di Stefano.
Glenn Hoddle said Timo Werner’s miss against Real Madrid summed up his Chelsea career so far
Werner smashed a volley inside the six-yard box but it was well saved by Thibaut Courtois
But from just a few yards out in the centre of the goal, the striker connected with a volley but despite an good save from former Blues goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois’ feet, it was a chance the forward really ought to have scored.
Thomas Tuchel’s men did eventually take the lead through American Pulisic before Karim Benzema’s equaliser, but former Tottenham midfielder and boss Hoddle laid into Werner and accused him of a ‘timid’ finish.
‘He has got to score. Werner has got to score,’ he said. ‘He is a little bit hesitant. That is not really drilling it into the net and taking everything with it.
‘He is a bit timid in the way he has tried to finish that. He has given the keeper a chance to save it, yet again with his feet.
Werner has scored just 11 goals for the Blues from 44 appearances in all competitions
‘It [the finish] sums it [his first season at Chelsea] up, absolutely spot on. Why has he not just put his foot through it with more venom?
‘He won’t get a better chance than that in any game of football, let alone a semi-final of the Champions League.’
Fans online were also highly critical of the Germany international, with one calling for Werner – who has scored just 11 goals across all competitions since joining for £52million from RB Leipzig – to be dropped and depart in the summer.
‘Werner he is just road runner… Surely he will be on his bike in the summer,’ the user said. ‘How many sitters can you miss till you are dropped… Awful’.
Another fan also compared Werner’s miss to his opposite number in the Real side after he scored his 71st Champions League goal, and urged Tuchel to review his forward options in the summer.
‘God forbid Werner remains our striker next season. Benzema with one very difficult chance and he buried it,’ the user said.
‘Werner has already missed a golden opportunity in this same game.’
Another meanwhile simply added: ‘I miss Drogba, Werner makes me want to cry,’ while another said: ‘Werner is shocking. You cannot miss a chance like that in a semi final against Real Madrid. It’s criminal.’
Another called for Tammy Abraham to be introduced, stating: ‘So sick of Werner honestly I’d rather play Abraham and have no chances than have Werner miss all of them.’
But some Blues fans still saw the funny side, with one commenting: ‘Timo Werner is in his own competition titled ‘miss of the week’ and wins it every week. Well done Lad.’
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