"He likes to drift to the left and then come in with his right [foot]. He can drag the ball [out wide] and cross it or come across the goal as well." - The words of former RB Leipzig manager Jesse Marsch when speaking about the qualities of Timo Werner.
Marsch, who is now the manager of Leeds United, worked with Werner at Leipzig, with the American coach Ralf Rangnick's assistant boss at the time. In Marsch's time as assistant manager at the Red Bull Arena, where he was appointed in 2018, he saw the very best of Werner, whose reputation as a clinical finisher swiftly grew around Europe.
"He is also good at finishing crosses from the right side when he's attacking in the box, but he's also good in the middle, and he's good on the right, too," Marsch added to Bleacher Report's Football Ranks podcast (via GOAL) in the summer of 2020 after he had just signed for Chelsea for around £50million. "I think if you're playing with two strikers, which is what we did often with Leipzig, we gave them freedom to move to the left.
READ MORE: Jurgen Klopp issues Liverpool injury boost ahead of FA Cup final against Chelsea
"We built that in tactically so he could find ways to be on the move but dangerous, but he could play as a second striker, he could play on the right, he can play in a front three, he can play any of those positions. Again, he will work against the ball, he will defend, he'll work for the team, and the other thing that's so special about Timo is that for a guy who sprints so much in a game, he is always healthy.
"That is unusual. Those sprinters that are so aggressive, they pick up a lot of soft-tissue muscle injuries. Timo has been incredibly fit, and hopefully, he can stay that way."
Marsch and Werner will be reunited on Wednesday evening as Chelsea travel to Elland Road to face the relegation-battling Leeds. For the Whites, it's a huge game, with the side sitting in 18th right now, level on points with Burnley in 17th.
Chelsea will be hoping to dent Marsch's hopes of survival, with Thomas Tuchel's side in desperate need of some points as well. Following the 2-2 draw with Wolves on Saturday and then Arsenal's win against Leeds 24 hours later, the Gunners sit just one point below their London rivals, going into the final three fixtures of the Premier League season.
Tuchel will be hoping Werner can rekindle his scoring form at Elland Road, with the German forward having some rare success in front of goal last month. At one point in April, Werner had scored four goals in three matches in all competitions but has not found the back of the net in his last four outings.
Speaking after Werner netted in the second-leg Champions League quarter-final clash with Real Madrid last month, Tuchel claimed that his countryman made himself an integral member of the Blues' squad. "He does make it hard to leave him out [of the team] now.
"I'm impressed. He was very good in the last two games. Let's be honest, these were the two games where he was much better than in any other game, and he showed what he is capable of.
"Everybody thinks that we do the line-up, and of course we do, but in the end, the players make it that you don't leave them out. They do it in training, or they do it in games. Of course, the games are an opportunity for everybody, especially for the strikers.
"Things can be turned around in minutes, in moments. Whole careers can be upside down, in any direction, but you can always as a striker have the chance to put things into your favour, as a substitute or if you have the chance to perform from the beginning."
