Timo Werner just wants to have some fun and score some goals, even if VAR still hates him

When the revised methodology for offside review was introduced over the summer, we had joked that Timo Werner can finally rest easy. No longer will he see goals regularly ruled out for marginal and minuscule offside decisions featuring discussions of shirt-sleeve and toe-nail lengths.

But VAR is not defeated so easily. And so, for the sixteenth time (16th!!!) since his arrival at Chelsea, Werner saw a goal ruled out. Sure, some of those were done so correctly, but it’s still a remarkable statistic considering that his winner later in the game was just the 14th goal in his Chelsea career — and first in the league since April. That’s a lot of heartbreaks and gut-punches and celebrations in vain: the story of his Chelsea career, as he reflected afterwards.

“In the first half it was the story of my whole Chelsea career in one game a little bit! It was obviously not so clear because it took the referee a while to make his decision. Maybe 50/50. We have to accept it, I had to accept it, and in the end I was happy I could score again and we won the game.”

Head coach Thomas Tuchel was obviously well pleased with Werner’s contributions and play, especially after pointing out recently that opposing teams are already adjusting to and focusing on stopping Romelu Lukaku. Plenty of spaces for Werner to explore and exploit!

“We have the feeling that every time he scores there is a VAR decision ready to take it away from him. These are very narrow decisions: I remember one against Liverpool that was super close.

“He has to keep on going, he can improve his game, a lot to improve but we are happy and relieved also that he scored in the late minutes of this game.

-Thomas Tuchel; source: Football.London

Photo by James Williamson - AMA/Getty Images

To his credit, Timo has kept on ticking despite all the licking, and has kept up his levels of effort even when it might have seemed like all the forces of the football universe were united in stopping him from scoring — including more than a fair few easy chances missed.

Good things come to those who wait ... and keep working.

“I was very happy to score and help the team. [...] The last games were not so easy for me because I didn’t start so regularly. So it was not only important for me, it was important for the whole team to come back after two defeats [and] go to the national break with a good feeling.

“At big clubs you always feel pressure, but in the end you must have fun, and you saw we wanted to have fun, play football and win the game. That mentality makes us so strong.”

-Timo Werner; source: Chelsea FC

Winning is fun. Scoring goals is fun. Timo just wants to have some fun.