Ex-Chelsea boss explains how 'nice player' Havertz has struggled

The Blues’ most expensive summer signing has failed to score in his last 11 games in all competitions.

Former Chelsea manager Glenn Hoddle has urged Kai Havertz to stop being a ‘nice player’ and instead focus on being assertive in the attack.

Despite scoring a hat-trick in only his third Blues appearance, which came in a 6-0 EFL Cup win over Barnsley in September, Havertz has only found the back of the net on one other occasion – a 3-3 draw with Southampton on October 17.

The 21-year-old has now gone 11 games, and over two months, without a goal in all competitions.

Frank Lampard recently announced Havertz may need an entire season to adapt to Premier League football. The manager, though, insisted he has ‘no problem’ with the winger and backed him to come good.

But in Hoddle’s opinion, Lampard needs to push Havertz further forward and to encourage him to play quicker.

“I look at Havertz at the moment and he’s nowhere near the player he was in Germany – there’s no doubt about that,” said Hoddle on the ‘The Glenn Hoddle Footy Show’ podcast.

“His role is a bit deeper with Chelsea. But I think if we start seeing him arrive more in the penalty area we’ll start seeing the best of him.

“He looks like he wants to play at a certain time and a certain pace. He is easy on the eye. He is a good player and I think there’s more to come from him, I really do.

“But he looks like the type of player who needs some time to settle down. Maybe, on and off the pitch.”

"People who want to jump on to criticise (should) just wait and give a young player time. I know the player that Kai Havertz is going to be."

– Frank Lampard pic.twitter.com/6lvoXCSTLk

— YAK (@CFCYAKK) December 14, 2020

Hoddle added: “Havertz is one I think Frank will be disappointed with. I think there’s more to come. But whether he can reproduce that remains to be seen.

“It’s almost like he wants to be a ‘nice’ player. For me, he needs to be more assertive. Assert himself on the pitch, with his running, because he will score goals.

“In Germany he was almost like an outright striker. He was scoring goals, left-foot, right-foot, headers.”

Hoddle coached Chelsea in a player/manager role between 1993 and 1996.

Havertz, meanwhile, could feature in the Blues’ derby against London rivals West Ham United on Monday night.