Published
on October 13, 2022
Arsenal legend, Thierry Henry has explained the reasons behind Timo Werner’s success at Leipzig after the German striker left Chelsea over the summer.
Werner struggled at Stamford Bridge, and Henry said he did not feel loved at Chelsea and lacked confidence.
The Germany International managed 23 goals in 89 appearances across two seasons at Stamford following a £50m move from RB Leipzig in 2020.
Werner was often criticised for lack of end product, and he returned to RB Leipzig on a four-year contract over the summer.
He already scored seven goals in 13 appearances this season, and Henry told CBS Sports: “I will call it confidence. You have players who don’t care if you put your arm around them. They will come, execute and leave.
“Then you have some players that need to feel the love. They need to feel maybe that they are going to play for 90 minutes. The best example is the second goal.
“First and foremost on the first control, Timo Werner would never have put that ball down at Chelsea, and then he would never have seen [Emil] Forsberg.”
“He would have rushed it trying to do something, overthinking it and overdoing it. I saw it before, he was calm before, and he is calm again.
“Maybe he would have shot [when he brought the ball down] because people said he can’t score at Chelsea – it gives you confidence when you score again. Then I see him pass it with his left foot at the right time.
‘”Sometimes you go to some places, they don’t show you that love, I’m not saying he didn’t have it, but if he didn’t feel it like he felt it at Leipzig, then you aren’t going to be at your best, and you won’t take the right decision.”
