Although we await with excitement the brand new Premier League season, I think it’s safe to conclude that Chelsea fans are thoroughly enjoying the summer so far.
Their recent recruitment has been almost unrivalled across Europe, with exciting talents Timo Wener and Hakim Ziyech being joined by Leicester City wing-back Ben Chilwell and Bayer Leverkusen sensation Kai Havertz next on the list.
Although a deal for Havertz is still to be finalised, the 21-year-old is expected to move for an initial £70million deal, which could end up rising to as much as £90million depending on add-ons.
With the new recruits, Chelsea’s frontline is beginning to take shape and looks set to be one of the finest in the division, however, the arrival of Havertz could add a whole other dimension.
He’s a versatile forward who can play almost anywhere across the attack, brilliant and skilful with the ball, but also intelligent in his movement and hard-working without it. Not that any of this is new information, after all, there’s a reason why he is one of the most sought-after attackers in world football.
Yet, there was an interesting facet of his game from last season that has not picked up any significant coverage. Throughout last season, Havertz's attacking output in two key areas seemed to noticeably increase in the second half, when compared to the first.
In terms of shots per 90, the attacker averaged 2.72 in the second half, compared to just 1.68 in the first half.
Furthermore, there was an increase in his dribbles per 90 too, almost doubling from 2.22 in the first half to 4.12 in the second.
It’s important to note that the attacker played just over 100 minutes more in the first half last season compared to the second, suggesting that differing playing samples weren’t a huge reason behind the noticeably different per 90 numbers. Additionally, he did manage eight first-half goals in comparison to just four second-half goals last season, suggesting he enjoyed most of his success in front of goal before the half-time break.
Despite that, his increased attacking output in the latter stages remains a key positive for his team and most likely a cause for concern for tiring opposition players.
It’s not entirely clear why his output seemed to significantly increase after the break last season. One reason could be that Leverkusen manager Peter Bosz prefers Havertz to adopt a more cautious approach in the opening 45 minutes of matches, maintaining a bit more discipline in his play and focusing on the quality of his shots rather than the quantity.
This could explain why so many of his shots came from inside the penalty area in the first half last season. Whereas perhaps in the second half, Bosz has been willing to grant Havertz more creative freedom, depending on the game state.
Whether it is as a result of tactics or not, it’s still good news for Chelsea. Frank Lampard will know that the attacker possesses the ability to remain highly effective and dangerous right up until the final whistle, without any drop in standard as other players traditionally begin to tire.
