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Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has provided his honest assessment of Blues' attacking midfielder Kai Havertz. The tactician hailed the German's consistency but reiterated that he still has some work to do in front of goal.
Kai Havertz has been one of the standout performers at Stamford Bridge this season, putting on eye-catching performances game after game. However, his return of six goals and four assists in 21 games so far leaves a lot to be desired.
Thomas Tuchel believes the attacking midfielder needs to contribute more in the offensive half of the pitch. The tactician said at the press conference ahead of Chelsea's clash with Crystal Palace tomorrow:
"If we isolate the goalscoring, then yeah, we expect more and he expects more, but the consistency in what he is given to the team, he has stepped up and pretty consistent. We can see a lot of intensity in his game and physicality. He has stepped that up this season, we have seen in training."
He added:
"I think he is in the process of being more reliable and being more consistent. Of course, he is an offensive player and has the ability to score."
Thomas Tuchel went on to highlight the areas he expects Kai Havertz to up his game. He said:
"We want more goals and he wants more goals. In this part of the game, he can improve. Be more clinical and precise and use his technique better in shooting. So there is room to develop. He has stepped up twice in big matches, in big moments and this can only be good for his development."
What's next for Chelsea?
The Blues have a vital Premier League clash with Crystal Palace tomorrow. Thomas Tuchel's men will approach the game with a lot of morale after beating Brazilian outfit Palmeiras to win the FIFA Club World Cup last time out.
Moving forward, Chelsea will lock horns with Ligue 1 giants Lille in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 clash next week. Tuchel's men will end their February by taking on Liverpool in the EFL Cup final on February 27.
