Last season, Kai Havertz played 45 matches for Bayer Leverkusen, scoring 18 goals and adding nine assists. It was very similar to his figures from the previous campaign, and encouraged interest in the German international.
Despite the German media trying to create the perspective that all of Europe’s biggest clubs were fighting for Havertz’s signing, Chelsea didn’t appear to have much competition when it came to it, and they brought the player from Bayer to continue his development.
In 22 matches for Chelsea so far, Havertz has scored five goals and added six assists. Those statistics are certainly not terrible, yet it’s clear the 22-year-old isn’t having the impact he did in Germany.
There’s been plenty of talk about reasons for that, and a settling in process could be among the main genuine issues. However, some feel Frank Lampard holds blame for Chelsea not seeing Havertz’s best, and how the player has been used is something Peter Bosz has mentioned when asked about the situation.
Bosz knows better than most, given he managed Havertz at Bayer Leverkusen, and quoted by VI he said: ‘Havertz’s greatest quality lies in the opponent’s box. There he has to come to score goals. At Chelsea, he now also plays further back, because Hakim Ziyech pushes him away. Then Havertz does not get enough into the penalty area.”
Ziyech himself has only scored four goals this season, having taken part in 14 matches.
