How Tottenham could line up with Timo Werner
Tottenham Hotspur are signing Timo Werner on an initial loan deal until the end of the season. What a sentence.
Go back two-and-a-half years to when Chelsea won the Champions League. Their starting front three now all play for rival clubs, with Kai Havertz at Arsenal and Mason Mount at Manchester United.
What's even stranger about Spurs' move for Werner is that, six months removed from the soul-crushing sale of Harry Kane, the mood has hardly ever been better in N17.
Ange Postecoglou has been on the lookout for another versatile forward and in Werner he has a player capable of filling various holes despite his deficiencies.
Where will Werner play for Tottenham? Here are the different ways he could be deployed.
Coming in off the left
Werner's most likely route into the starting XI comes on the left wing, particularly with Son Heung-min currently away at the Asian Cup with South Korea.
Though initially signed by Chelsea as a striker, this is the position he most often played in the Premier League. It made enough sense - he's one of the quickest forwards around, doesn't really understand the offside rule and was far from clinical in front of goal.
In Postecoglou's system, Werner has the ideal physical traits to play on the wing in that he's fast, aggressive and busy. The Greek-Australian has traditionally played with two touchline wingers, but he has slightly adapted his tactics to accommodate at least one inverted forward. If Werner is moving inside from the left, Brennan Johnson could stretch play on the right (at least until Son or James Maddison are back and then the frontline undergoes a bit more cosmetic surgery).
Chances to score will certainly come Werner's way, it'll be more about if he's learned to adjust his feet in front of goal.
Potential lineups
Kulusevski - Richarlison - Werner
Kulusevski - Son - Werner
Johnson - Richarlison - Werner
Johnson - Son - Werner
Through the middle
When Tottenham were first interested in Werner all the way back in 2015, he was making a name for himself as a centre forward for Stuttgart.
There's still a possibility that he could play through the middle with Spurs. Postecoglou has previously stated Son's best position is out on the left where most of their best chances come from, so moving Werner into a central role would be understandable, particularly if Richarlison is unavailable.
It's likely to be a last resort, however. Tottenham may only be comPeting on one front upon Son's return, so it would take an injury to him or Richarlison for Werner to get much of a look in as a number nine.
Potential lineups
Kulusevski - Werner - Son
Kulusevski - Werner - Richarlison
Johnson - Werner - Son
Johnson - Werner - Richarlison
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