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Andy Cole has admitted he doesn’t think Timo Werner is a centre-forward as the Chelsea striker continues to struggle in front of goal.
The Germany international, who arrived from RB Leipzig for a fee of £48million in the summer, has now gone 12 matches without a goal after the Blues were comprehensively beaten 3-1 by Manchester City on Sunday.
Despite a promising start to life in west London, Werner’s woeful run of form has coincided with the Blues’ slump, with Frank Lampard’s men losing four of their past six Premier League matches.
And legendary Manchester United striker Cole, who is third on the Premier League’s all-time top scorers list with 187 goals, does not consider Werner an out-and-out No.9 when he watches him play.
“I’m not even sure if Werner is a centre-forward to be completely honest with you,” Cole told talkSPORT. “Especially in the English game and your first season in the Premier League.
“To play him at centre-forward, I’m not quite sure about that.
“[Olivier] Giroud does a sterling job; he comes on he scores, he never seems to moan.
“When you have Giroud as your focal point, I’m 100 per cent behind that.
“If he played today, I’m not sure Chelsea would have won the game but they would have caused a hell of a lot more problems.”
Werner emerged as one of Germany’s best strikers during his time in his homeland, scoring 95 goals in 159 appearances in his four years with Leipzig.
However, his Premier League stats this season in comparison to other strikers in the division have truly accentuated his barren run of form.
The 24-year-old has missed the fourth most big chances (8), with Burnley’s Chris Wood and Leeds’ Patrick Bamford joint-top with 12 and Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins second with ten.
Moreover, his solitary total of only four league goals this term statistically is the joint-18th worst tally of any frontman in the top-flight.
Lampard, however, admits he is adamant the goals will come for Werner.
“Every player goes through tough times in front of goal and I always found that work at the training ground was the only way to turn that,” Lampard said ahead of the defeat by City.
“It’s about simple work, repetition of finishing, which Timo is doing now, and when you work like that then it’s a matter of time.
“His natural attributes will get him in front of goal, get him away from defenders and get him those chances again.
“The beauty is that he’s been getting chances because that’s definitely a positive.’
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