It probably was not what Roman Abramovich envisaged when he authorised the signing of perhaps the two most coveted attacking talents to move last summer. But for the financial implications of the coronavirus crisis, Kai Havertz might have joined Real Madrid and Timo Werner Liverpool. Instead, Chelsea swooped for both.
And so, with one game of their Premier League campaign remaining, their top scorer is Jorginho. The penalty the holding midfielder nonchalantly rolled in against Leicester may prove the most important goal of Chelsea’s domestic campaign, ensuring their fate is in their hands on the final day. A place in next season’s Champions League beckons for this season’s finalists.
But all seven of the Italy international’s goals have been spot kicks. As he has twice missed from 12 yards, his lead over his teammates could have been more emphatic. He serves as an indictment of one of the most gifted forward lines around. But if Chelsea finish third, it will be a triumph of the collective.
Three players are on six goals, one on five, three more on four. Antonio Rudiger’s strike was his first of the season but it nonetheless felt typical that a defender delivered a key goal.
Yet if it is unusual that the champions have a top scorer, in Ilkay Gundogan, who only has 13 league goals, it is rarer still a team is third when no one even has eight. And that reflects, in particular, on the wasteful Werner.
The German gave his latest endearingly honest interview on Tuesday. He won a penalty, but also had two goals disallowed, one for handling when he could have headed in. “The first half, especially, was the picture of the whole season for me,” he said. “Every time, close, but in the end not really close. For me, the unluckiest season I ever had, and I will have, maybe. Worse ... there can’t be.”
Werner has gone from second in one chart, when outscored only by Robert Lewandowski in last season’s Bundesliga, to third in another – for big chances missed in this season’s Premier League – and top of a third: no one has underperformed their expected goals by more. Werner has six goals, when the metric suggests he ought to have 13.17.
Chelsea 2 Leicester 1: player ratings
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CHELSEA RATINGS: Edouard Mendy 6 – Had very little to do but his distribution was as good as ever. He was left exposed as Iheanacho pulled one back. AFP -
Reece James 7 – Had a quiet night defensively, such was Chelsea’s dominance, but his passing was crisp and, at times, into the feet of those in dangerous areas around the Leicester box. AFP -
Cesar Azpilicueta 7 – Almost got on the end of a dangerous cross from Werner, but the ball just sped off the surface away from him when he was lurking at the back post. Azpilicueta then returned the favour with a dangerous low cross, but Werner couldn’t get on the end of it. EPA -
Thiago Silva 6 – Got on the end of a corner on the half-hour mark but he couldn’t keep it down. A quiet night for the Brazilian. AFP -
Antonio Rudiger 8 – Chelsea were mostly on the attack and Rudiger was keen to get in on the action. His striding runs with the ball started many a Chelsea attack, while it was his – albeit fortuitous – touch that gifted the Blues the lead when he converted a corner from close range. Dominant display at both ends. Reuters -
Ben Chilwell 7 – The left-back had the first effort of the game, a shot that he dragged across the face of goal. He then supplied the corner that Rudiger bundled home. EPA -
Jorginho 6 – Scored Chelsea’s second with a trademark penalty to become the club’s leading scorer in the league with seven, but he lost the ball a couple of times and lacked the urgency of some of his teammates. A solid – if not unspectacular – performance in the middle. EPA -
N’Golo Kante 7 – Forced Schmeichel into a smart save with a well-struck shot inside the Leicester area. Limped off after the half-hour mark in a precautionary move by Tuchel. EPA -
Mason Mount 8 – Mount was central to Chelsea’s attacks. On the half-hour mark his smart turn and shot forced Schmeichel into a save. He then blazed another effort over the bar before the break after Pulisic had smartly dummied the ball, and then returned the favour with a driving run and cut back that Schmeichel saved at Pulisic’s expense. A constant threat. EPA -
Christian Pulisic 7 – Followed Kante’s early shot on goal with an effort on the rebound, but Schmeichel tipped it over the bar. Saw a lot of the ball and found some good positions, though was guilty of sometimes losing the ball in promising areas. EPA -
Timo Werner 7 – Delivered a wicked cross in the opening 10 minutes and then twice thought he’d given his side the lead; first when he slotted home on the 21-minute mark, but he was adjudged to have been offside, and then when he handled the ball into the goal with the goal at his mercy. Should have been awarded a penalty when he was scythed down by Tielemans. A tireless performance but his finishing and positioning needs to be better. EPA -
SUB: Mateo Kovacic 6 – Kept possession well in the opposing half and was alive to the runs of those ahead of him, but again his passing was, at times, wasteful. AFP -
SUB: Kurt Zouma N/A – Came on for the last few minutes to replace the injured Azpilicueta. Reuters -
SUB: Olivier Giroud N/A – On in injury time, he didn’t have much of an opportunity to make a difference. -
LEICESTER CITY RATINGS: Kasper Schmeichel 7 – Made a smart double save early on, first to stop Kante, and then Pulisic. He was alive to most things Chelsea threw at him, but he couldn’t prevent Rudiger from breaking the deadlock, or Jorginho from converting from the spot. EPA -
Timothy Castagne 6 – Put Werner onto his right foot with the German through on goal before making a tremendous last-ditch block. Was under pressure for much of the game, and when defending with Werner on the break again he did enough to ensure Werner’s shot didn’t trouble Schmeichel. AFP -
Wesley Fofana 7 – Weathered the pressure well and stuck close to his task throughout. -
Caglar Soyuncu 6 – Got away with a late challenge on Pulisic in the first half, which probably warranted a booking. He was dominant in the air and made some key interceptions, though this was probably the most stretched he’s been this season. Reuters -
Luke Thomas 4 – The full-back was exposed throughout, particularly in the second half, and it was from his slip that Chelsea won the corner that saw them open the scoring. He was then targeted by Chelsea. A weak link. EPA -
Wilfried Ndidi 6 – Ndidi was on the back foot for much of the game but he pressed with his usual diligence. Looked tired. AFP -
Youri Tielemans 5 – The FA Cup final goalscorer should have been punished for his foul on Werner inside the area. Couldn’t get into the game. AFP -
James Maddison 4 – Not Maddison’s finest match. He struggled in the first half and was often caught in possession. He simply failed to get into the game or make a tangible contribution going forward, and was replaced after an hour. Reuters -
Marc Albrighton 5 – Played in the full-back position and was guilty of trying to play the ball over the top, giving the ball away and allowing Chelsea to regain possession. EPA -
Ayoze Perez 4 – A poor night for Perez who offered the visitors very little, though he did hit the target with 20 minutes left on the clock, much to ironic cries from the Chelsea faithful. He then had a glorious chance to level late on but he blazed over the bar. EPA -
Jamie Vardy 5 – Had a free header on 25 minutes but he couldn’t keep it down and it drifted over the bar. Looked isolated in attack. Reuters -
SUB: Kelechi Iheanacho 6 – On as a replacement for Maddison, his pace added more of a presence to the Leicester attack. He had a shot on the turn that drifted just wide moments before he converted to pull a goal back with 14 minutes left to play. It was his 16th goal in 18 appearances. Reuters -
SUB: Ricardo Pereira 5 – Was brought on to add some pace and more of a presence on the right-hand side, but he had little impact. Reuters
It hardly helps that Havertz is one of the other statistical offenders. A player often deemed a generational talent has fewer goals than Kurt Zouma.
Injury meant Havertz did not face Leicester on Tuesday, continuing the run of misfortune that began when he contracted Covid in autumn, but, while Tuchel’s penchant for unpredictable selections may be an asset, it was damning when he was benched for the FA Cup final.
Havertz's miss against Arsenal, a few minutes before Emile Smith Rowe scored the only goal of last week's game, had the potential to be the most damaging of Arsenal's season; Werner's against Leeds in December, from under the crossbar, was surely the worst.
Havertz has four goals in 26 league games, Werner six in 34. Between them, they have two against a top-half team, even if the latter has also struck against Real Madrid, albeit from half a yard. And yet Werner’s pace and relentlessness and Havertz’s intelligent movement as a false nine have offered glimpses of why each attracted so much attention.
Werner was serenaded when fans returned, showing that his efforts appreciated. Tuchel has denied he was appointed to get the best from his compatriots, though Olivier Giroud and Tammy Abraham have been sidelined so they can be selected. But with two games to go, there is the paradoxical position that Chelsea could become Champions League qualifiers and winners in a year when their supposed coups have found ever newer ways not to score.
