Chelsea manager Frank Lampard says he has no concerns over Timo Werner's goal drought and is sure the German striker will soon rediscover his form.
Werner, a £45 million ($60m) summer signing from RB Leipzig, recovered from a slow start to his Chelsea career by scoring seven goals in seven games across all competitions, but has not found the target in his past nine outings, despite a number of straightforward chances.
Having failed to score in his past seven starts, this is Werner's longest run without a goal since he went nine starts in September 2016 with Stuttgart and Leipzig. He has scored four goals in 14 Premier League matches this season.
The 24-year-old Germany international again misfired on Monday night but his profligacy did not prove costly as Chelsea claimed a 3-0 win over West Ham, with a goal Thiago Silva and a Tammy Abraham double, to move up to fifth in the Premier League table.
"That's the period Timo is in, it's unfortunate but he's getting in the positions - when one [goal] goes in it will be a run for him," Lampard told the BBC.
Although Werner started the season as Chelsea's centre-forward, he has since been played predominantly on the left side of an attacking three, with Lampard switching between England forward Abraham and French veteran Olivier Giroud in the central role.
It was Abraham who got the nod against West Ham and he vindicated his manager's decision with two quick second half goals to secure all three points for the Blues.
"Tammy and Oli (Giroud) both bring different things, Tammy did his thing today and that's what we needed," Lampard said.
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Chelsea v West Ham player ratings
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CHELSEA PLAYER RATINGS: GK Edouard Mendy, 6 -- The Chelsea penalty area saw plenty of action but the summer signing from Rennes didn’t have a significant save to make. EPA -
DF Cesar Azpilicueta, 6 -- A couple of slip ups gave West Ham some promising openings in a first half that the visitors grew INTO after a slow start, and a better final ball could’ve punished the Spaniard. AP -
DF Kurt Zouma, 7 -- The Frenchman is forming a great partnership with Thiago Silva and it was Zouma’s movement in the West Ham box that created space for the Brazilian to tuck his header away for 1-0. Getty Images -
DF Thiago Silva, 8 -- Leapt beautifully to thump home a 10th-minute corner past Fabianski and the veteran was excellent in his own penalty box with some vital blocks and interceptions. Reuters -
DF Ben Chilwell, N/R – Twisted his ankle in an accidental coming together with Bowen and was replaced by Emerson inside the opening 10 minutes. PA -
MF Jorginho, 6 -- Some occasionally dicey moments in possession but was regularly testing the West Ham defensive shape with probing balls into dangerous areas for the Chelsea forwards to run on to. Replaced by Kovacic in the 66th minute. EPA -
MF N’golo Kante, 6 -- A first-half slip almost allowed Haller a run at goal, but a Chelsea colleague cleared things up and that was the only blemish on a steady display in which the former Leicester man was alert to danger and quick to the loose ball. AFP -
MF Mason Mount, 7 -- An excellent corner was headed home by Silva for the opener and the Englishman provided plenty of problems with the dead ball, along with his movement and perseverance all over the park, resulting in his teasing cross that led to Chelsea’s third. Reuters -
FW Christian Pulisic, 7 -- The American would have had an assist to his name if his bursting run and perfectly timed pass was finished off by Werner, before his point-blank header was saved, leaving an empty net for Abraham to smash in for 3-0. Switched for Havertz with seven minutes to go. AP Photo -
FW Timo Werner, 6 -- Lacked conviction with a big first half chance when he struggled to get the ball from under his feet before stabbing the ball straight at Fabianski. A slice of luck in the second half saw his miscued shot fall into the path of Abraham for a tap-in for 2-0, before smashing the bar late on from close range. AP -
FW Tammy Abraham, 8 -- Had a goal denied by VAR early on but the Chelsea No 9 worked tirelessly and deserved his 78th minute tap in, before lashing home less than two minutes later to complete his brace. EPA -
SUBS: Emerson (Chilwell, 10’) 6 – Given a busy time by Vladimir Coufal but stuck to his task and provided his fair share of attacking runs down the Chelsea left. AP -
Mateo Kovacic (Jorginho, 66’), 6 -- Gave his side a bit more purpose in the opposition half as West Ham spent large periods camped in Chelsea territory. Getty Images -
Kai Havertz (Pulisic, 83’), N/R – Nearly squeezed out a through ball for Abraham but Fabianski cleared up the loose ends. PA -
WEST HAM PLAYER RATINGS: GK Lukasz Fabianski, 6 -- Silva’s early header was already in the back of the net before the keeper had time to react, and the Pole could do little to prevent Abraham’s simple double. EPA -
DF Vladimir Coufal, 6 -- Wasted a couple of decent chances to put a good cross into the Chelsea box, but was a regular fixture in the opposition half and is a tidy player. EPA -
DF Fabian Balbuena, 6 -- Some good passes through the defensive and midfield lines gave his side a footing in opposition territory but got caught out by Pulisic as the Chelsea man beat him to a 50-50 and drove at goal in the first half. PA -
DF Angelo Ogbonna, 6 -- Helped weather a Chelsea storm following their early opener and enjoyed a good physical battle with home frontman Abraham, which he ultimately lost. Reuters -
DF Aaron Cresswell, 6 -- Got in-behind the Chelsea defence midway through the first half but dragged his cross-cum-shot well wide when he should’ve done better. AFP -
MF Declan Rice, 7 -- VAR denied him an early opener when he drifted fractionally offside before brilliantly rounding Mendy and slotting home inside the first seven minutes. Probably West Ham’s best player thanks to an assertive display that was full of endeavour. AP -
MF Tomas Soucek, 7 -- A real aerial threat and his prowess at headed duels opened up some decent chances for the Hammers forward line. The ball didn’t quite fall for him on a couple of occasions and on another day could’ve had some clear sights of goal. AFP -
MF Jarrod Bowen, 6 -- Another busy display from the midfielder, who is excellent at picking up pockets of spaces and conjuring up something out of nothing. Fredericks replaced the midfielder in the final minute of normal time. AP -
MF Mark Noble, 6 -- Burrowed away in typical Mark Noble fashion, without really making much of an impression on proceedings. EPA -
MF Pablo Fornals, 6 -- A quiet first half in which he was unable to get his foot on the ball and craft out a moment of quality but was brighter in the second half and only an Azpilicueta block denied him a shot on goal. Replaced by Benrahma midway through the second half. AFP -
FW Sebastien Haller, 6 -- Almost hooked a loose ball over Mendy in the first half but was largely feeding off scraps and didn’t have a pungent sniff at a goal. EPA -
SUBS: Said Benrahma (Fornals, 67’), 6 -- Almost had a chance at a volley inside the box but the ball was nipped away from under his nose. -
Ryan Fredericks (Bowen, 90’) N/R – Too late to make any impact (no match photo available). Getty Images
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"West Ham are a good team on good form, so many threats, I thought today would be a tough match and it proved to be so, even in the not beautiful moments we defended superbly - Thiago Silva did brilliantly with that.
"We dropped off slightly and it was important tonight we came back. There were loads of things for the team to show their character - we want more."
Chelsea bounced back from two successive league defeats and closed in on the top four as they moved up to fifth in the standings one point behind fourth-placed Everton and six adrift of champions and leaders Liverpool.
West Ham manager David Moyes conceded his team, who stay 10th, were punished for lapses at both ends of the pitch.
"It was a harsh scoreline but we were not good enough in our box, having to defend a couple of times, we weren't good enough in their box when we had the opportunities," he said.
"The players played really well. This was our biggest test so far this season, for the majority of it we played very well but didn't do enough where it matters."
