Timo Werner said it was good to be back on the scoresheet after finding the back of the net for the first time this season in Chelsea's EFL Cup third-round triumph over Aston Villa.

Chelsea overcame Villa 4-3 on penalties at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, with Reece James netting the decisive spot-kick following a 1-1 draw.

Werner – now in the shadow of star recruit Romelu Lukaku – opened the scoring in the 54th minute – only his fifth goal of 2021, though Villa's Cameron Archer equalised 10 minutes later midweek.

After scoring his first Chelsea goal since May's Champions League fixture against Real Madrid, Germany international Werner revelled in the performance.

"I feel good [hearing people sing my name]. It is good to be back on the scoresheet of course," Werner told Chelsea's Fifth Stand App.

"We needed to keep winning and get into the next round of the EFL Cup and we are happy with the game.

"A goal opens the game, the first half, both teams were passive and struggled with all their changes. I think when we scored in the second half we were under a lot of pressure and lost control, went to 1-1 and after that we showed a good reaction. We wanted to win in 90 minutes and were lucky to win on penalties."

Werner was not involved in the shoot-out and he explained his absence.

"First of all, I had pain in my calf and couldn't go out," Werner said. "When you have fit players on the pitch, it is better they shoot than I do today."

Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel – whose side will face Southampton in the fourth round – added: "We brought him into a situation where he can score, this is what we want, and then it's on him to score.

"That's why he is here. It's the best feeling for a striker to score."

Timo Werner is "in a good way" ahead of Chelsea's EFL Cup tie against Aston Villa after taking "a big step forward" at Tottenham, Thomas Tuchel says.

Germany international Werner endured a difficult first season in England, although head coach Tuchel only arrived halfway through the campaign.

The former RB Leipzig forward was a regular, playing in 52 matches and making 44 starts across all competitions, as Chelsea won the Champions League.

But Werner's form in front of goal was repeatedly called into question as he hit the net just 12 times from 118 shots worth a combined 21.1 expected goals.

Converting just 10.2 per cent of his chances and scoring once every 319 minutes, this profligacy led to the Blues splashing out a club-record fee on Romelu Lukaku.

The arrival of Lukaku has restricted Werner to only two starts this term, although he did get his first assist of the season in Sunday's 3-0 win at Tottenham having come off the bench to partner the Belgium striker.

The wait for a first goal in 2021-22 goes on, but Werner is set to get an opportunity against Villa in the third round of the EFL Cup and has Tuchel's backing.

"He can play with Romelu, that is sure," Tuchel told a news conference. "He did very well in Tottenham, the last 25 minutes, 30 minutes of the match, that gave us a clear impression of how dangerous these two can also be together.

"There was some disappointment to brush off his shoulders from the Euros during the summer and from the first games.

"I think he was not happy with the performances in the beginning, and we were not absolutely happy, because we know that he can be much more dangerous and much more of an attacking threat than he was.

"But the stuff that you don't see... I see him in the last training sessions more relaxed, more fluid in his movements, with more confidence, and that's why we put him on earlier against Tottenham.

"We saw his development. There are clear signs he is in a good way, and I hope he can show and prove it tomorrow."

Werner had only one attempt of his own against Spurs, which Hugo Lloris saved, although he should have had another, played in by Lukaku but taking too long to shoot and allowing Emerson Royal to recover.

Lukaku wore a pained expression as the chance went begging, but Tuchel again took the positives from that incident.

"It shows also how Romelu is. It shows that he knows how a striker feels that lacks goals," he said.

"For me, the most important was that Timo was in better positions. We had him again in dangerous positions around Romelu, and he was not too far out on the pitch, he was actually in and around the box.

"He had his chances in the box, and later he had the assist, which was well done also within the box.

"This is more important, and more important is how he trains, not only in pure quality of training but also in the attitude. At the moment, he moves more free in his movements and his decision-making is with more confidence.

"Sometimes it needs time, and sometimes you don't have one particular reason why things look a bit more easy. Timo is in this moment, and hopefully he also can push himself now and keep this momentum going.

"Everybody is happy if he can show his skills in front of goal and can be dangerous, because this is what we want and this is why he's here: to be dangerous, to score goals, of course, and also to assist, to create more open spaces with aggressive runs.

"This was a big step forward in the last game against Tottenham."

Tuchel also suggested Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Saul Niguez could feature at home to Villa, as he gives "important minutes" to players who need them, but Edouard Mendy remains out.

Could Jurgen Klopp and Robert Lewandowski be set to work together again?

The pair enjoyed a successful partnership at Borussia Dortmund.

Now, Klopp is reportedly trying to lure the Bayern Munich forward to Liverpool.

 

TOP STORY – KLOPP WANTS LEWANDOWSKI REUNION

Liverpool are targeting Bayern Munich star Robert Lewandowski, according to Fichajes.

Lewandowski worked with Jurgen Klopp at Borussia Dortmund before joining Bundesliga rivals Bayern in 2014.

There has been talk Lewandowski could be ready for a new challenge amid links to Real Madrid and Manchester City, though Klopp is reportedly determined to reunite with the Poland international.

 

ROUND-UP

- Bild claims Dortmund have identified Chelsea forward Timo Werner as a possible option to replace Erling Haaland. Club are queueing up to sign Haaland, with City, Manchester United, Bayern, Liverpool, Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain all reportedly interested. Should Haaland leave Dortmund, the Bundesliga outfit reportedly see former RB Leipzig star Werner as a potential successor.

- Fabrizio Romano says Inter forward Lautaro Martinez is nearing a contract extension at San Siro. He has reportedly turned down offers from Tottenham and Atletico Madrid.

Bayern, Inter, Real Madrid and Tottenham are interested in Borussia Monchengladbach defender Matthias Ginter, reports Calciomercato.

Chelsea are looking to sign Jorginho, N'Golo Kante, Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen to new contracts, according to Romano.

Bernd Leno's future at Emirates Stadium is up in the air.

Aaron Ramsdale's arrival, on a deal that could reach a reported £30million, put Leno's first-choice position in jeopardy.

The 29-year-old German joined Arsenal in 2018 and has been number one since.

TOP STORY - ARSENAL CONSIDERS LENO SALE

Arsenal are contemplating selling German goalkeeper Leno next year following Ramsdale's arrival, claims the Daily Mail.

Ramsdale was selected ahead of Leno in Arsenal's 1-0 win over Norwich City on Saturday after the German had an indifferent start to the season

The report claims there is little chance Arsenal will sell Leno in January but that the Gunners signed Ramsdale believing he may usurp the German by the end of the 2021-22 season.

 

ROUND-UP

- As Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid circle, Paul Pogba is leaning towards extending his stay with Manchester United claims The Athletic. The report cites Cristiano Ronaldo's impact at United on Pogba's thinking.

- West Ham United have placed a £100 million price tag on in-demand Declan Rice with  Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City all jostling for his signature according to Football.London.

- French midfielder Thomas Lemar is expendable following Antoine Griezmann's arrival and could be sold by Spanish champions Atletico Madrid claims Todo Fichajes. Atletico wants to raise transfer funds to bolster their squad.

- Football Insider claims that Bayern Munich are already working on signing Chelsea's German striker Timo Werner next year, with a January move not ruled out.

- Chelsea will open talks with England international midfielder Mason Mount on a new long-term deal according to 90min.

- Arsenal target Houssem Aouar will not leave Olympique Lyon mid-season reports Todo Fichajes.

Paul Pogba will be in demand when his contract expires after this season.

While several big clubs are in the mix, one has reportedly taken the lead.

The Santiago Bernabeu could be Pogba's next home.

 

TOP STORY - REAL MADRID WANT POGBA

Real Madrid are confident they can land Paul Pogba on a free transfer after this season, Mundo Deportivo reports. 

The interest apparently is mutual, as the report says Pogba would favour a move to Los Blancos over interest from Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus

The deal might not be so easy to close if Manchester United decide to sell Pogba during the January window, but he remains a top target for Madrid either way.

 

ROUND-UP

- After failing to find a landing spot in Europe following his departure from Arsenal, veteran centre-back David Luiz will join Flamengo through the end of 2022, according to reports by Fabrizio Romano and Goal Brazil. 

- Alexandre Lacazette appears on the way out at Arsenal after the Gunners made a significant effort to sign Tammy Abraham during the transfer window, Romano reports. 

- Chelsea and Bayern Munich could pursue a swap deal that sends Timo Werner back to Germany and brings Leroy Sane back to the Premier League, according to Todo Fichajes.

- Everton will make another attempt to prise Ainsley Maitland-Niles from Arsenal during the January window, ESPN reports.

- Ajax defender Jurrien Timber is drawing interest from Chelsea and Tottenham, according to 90min. 

Hansi Flick knows Germany must play with more confidence in front of goal after a wasteful performance in what was still a comfortable victory over Liechtenstein.

Germany won 2-0 in Flick's first game as coach on Thursday but would have expected a greater cushion given their dominance.

Flick's team had 30 attempts in total and controlled 85.3 per cent of the possession, though only Timo Werner and Leroy Sane found a way through.

On Sunday, Group J leaders Armenia visit Stuttgart for Flick's first home game since he took over as Germany coach.

"We created three or four good chances at the start; however, we were lacking confidence in front of goal. We need to get that back," Flick said in a pre-match news conference on Saturday, reflecting on the trip to Liechtenstein.

"We coaches are of course not blind either, we are not there to talk things through nicely. In terms of the goalscoring against Liechtenstein, we cannot be satisfied with a result of 2-0.

"At the beginning of a path that you take as a coach with a team, other things are decisive. That was important to me.

"We've got some important games coming up, so it was good to get used to one another. As a result, the starting XI won't change much. Our main aim was nine points from these three matches, and it still is."

With Flick promising few changes, it should mean another start for Werner, who came through the ranks at Stuttgart before moving to RB Leipzig and then Chelsea.

"Sometimes you win a game like that one against Liechtenstein 8-0 because the first few chances go in," said Werner, who is relishing the opportunity to play in his home city.

"On other occasions, however, you only win 2-0. The time will come again where we score two goals from a half-chance.

"Us Swabians are known for being a bit critical, but we love our football. We need to show tomorrow that we're all good players. If we do that, the Stuttgart locals will go home happy."

Germany enjoyed a comfortable start to life under Hansi Flick as they ran out 2-0 winners over minnows Liechtenstein in World Cup qualifying Group J. 

Following a trophy laden 18-month stint at Bayern Munich, Flick replaced long-serving Germany coach Joachim Low after Euro 2020. 

Liechtenstein's goal lived a charmed life throughout on Thursday, with it taking until the 41st minute for Timo Werner to break the deadlock. 

The scoreline would have reflected Germany's dominance if not for Liechtenstein's goalkeeper Benjamin Buchel, yet Leroy Sane capped a fine individual display with a terrific strike to ensure there was no chance of a shock comeback. 

Two of Flick's former Bayern players combined in the fourth minute, Sane teeing up Joshua Kimmich, who saw his on-target strike blocked. 

Sane swiftly crafted another chance – Buchel making a fine stop to deny Werner – before Robin Gosens headed Kimmich's wonderful cross against the left-hand upright. 

Germany's opener finally came with their 12th attempt of a one-sided contest, Werner slotting home from Jamal Musiala's flick after a brilliant run from the Bayern youngster.  

Buchel somehow denied Germany a second before the hour, making a fantastic double save to keep out close-range efforts from both Gosens and Ilkay Gundogan. 

Gosens finally seemed set to get his goal with a blistering strike that was destined for the top corner, yet Daniel Kaufmann's brave block summed up a stoic defensive effort from Liechtenstein. 

Their resolve was finally punctured again in the 77th minute by Sane's brilliance, however, as the winger set himself up with some neat footwork before drilling a low finish across Buchel, emphatically making sure of the victory for new boss Flick. 

 

What does it mean? Easy does it for Hansi 

The short trip to Liechtenstein was never likely to present too many issues for Germany, though a stunning defeat would hardly have been the way Flick wished to start his reign. 

Germany, who are second in the group, barely got out of first gear, so there cannot be too many judgements made based on this display. Still, Flick will want his team to be more clinical in future. They ended the game with 85.3 per cent possession and had 30 attempts, albeit just seven were on target, so cannot truly be pleased with only the two goals. 

Buchel keeps things respectable  

With no points and 12 goals conceded from their first four games, there is no doubting Liechtenstein's place as the whipping boys in the group. 

Yet their goalkeeper can come out of this match with his head held high. Buchel made four saves, including a truly excellent stop from Gundogan in the 58th minute – a chance which registered an expected goals (xG) value of 0.51, making it the second-best opportunity of the match after Werner's opener. 

Sane returns to form in style 

It has been a difficult start to the season at Bayern for Sane, who was substituted off at half-time in Julian Nagelsmann's first competitive home game in charge last month. 

However, playing in his preferred position on the left, the former Manchester City winger had plenty of joy on duty for his country. He created a game-leading four chances, all of which were missed by his team-mates, before slamming in a deserved goal for himself. 

What's next? 

Germany host Group J leaders Armenia in Flick's first home game at the helm, while Liechtenstein face Romania, with both matches taking place on Sunday. 

Germany enjoyed a comfortable start to life under Hansi Flick as they ran out 2-0 winners over minnows Liechtenstein in World Cup qualifying Group J. 

Following a trophy laden 18-month stint at Bayern Munich, Flick replaced long-serving Germany coach Joachim Low after Euro 2020. 

Liechtenstein's goal lived a charmed life throughout on Thursday, with it taking until the 41st minute for Timo Werner to break the deadlock. 

The scoreline would have reflected Germany's dominance if not for Liechtenstein's goalkeeper Benjamin Buchel, yet Leroy Sane capped a fine individual display with a terrific strike to ensure there was no chance of a shock comeback. 

Two of Flick's former Bayern players combined in the fourth minute, Sane teeing up Joshua Kimmich, who saw his on-target strike blocked. 

Sane swiftly crafted another chance – Buchel making a fine stop to deny Werner – before Robin Gosens headed Kimmich's wonderful cross against the left-hand upright. 

Germany's opener finally came with their 12th attempt of a one-sided contest, Werner slotting home from Jamal Musiala's flick after a brilliant run from the Bayern youngster.  

Buchel somehow denied Germany a second before the hour, making a fantastic double save to keep out close-range efforts from both Gosens and Ilkay Gundogan. 

Gosens finally seemed set to get his goal with a blistering strike that was destined for the top corner, yet Daniel Kaufmann's brave block summed up a stoic defensive effort from Liechtenstein. 

Their resolve was finally punctured again in the 77th minute by Sane's brilliance, however, as the winger set himself up with some neat footwork before drilling a low finish across Buchel, emphatically making sure of the victory for new boss Flick. 

Romelu Lukaku can turn Timo Werner into the goal machine Chelsea always thought the German would become, according to Thomas Tuchel.

The Blues' £97.5million investment in Lukaku, a player they offloaded to Everton for £28m seven years ago, has been one of the most eye-catching transfers of the window.

After starring with Inter and Belgium, Lukaku looks to be in the prime years of his career, ready to transfer his own scoring form from Serie A to the Premier League.

He could make his second Chelsea debut at Arsenal on Sunday, and head coach Tuchel sees Lukaku bringing his influence to bear across the Chelsea frontline, including spurring on Werner to improve on his ho-hum first year in English football.

"This can be a big upgrade for him, to have Romelu, who likes to be in the centre of the pitch and to fight physically with defenders," Tuchel said.

"He can create spaces for Timo, first of all from a position a bit wider than he used to play for us in the last season, to play around Romelu who is like the reference as a number nine, a reference for the attack.

"Hopefully, it gives Timo the space to play around him, to feel a bit more freedom, make it a bit easier to find the dangerous spaces and start scoring again."

Werner scored just 12 goals for Chelsea last season, failing to get close to an expected goals (xG) total of 21.07 that reflected the quality of his chances.

Those goals came at a rate of one every 318.83 minutes, and his shot conversion rate of 10.17 per cent fell well short of expectations.

At the same time, however, his assists total of 11 far exceeded an expected assists (xA) total of 4.48, and he finished the campaign as a Champions League winner, meaning it was not all bad for the former RB Leipzig forward.

The only player from Europe's top five leagues to score at least 10 goals in all competitions but have a worse conversion rate than Werner was, perhaps surprisingly, Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne (9.43 per cent).

Lukaku's 30 goals for Inter came from a healthy 24 per cent conversion rate, while higher up the list Erling Haaland of Borussia Dortmund netted 41 goals with a 31.54 per cent strike rate. Haaland was one of the strikers linked with Chelsea before the club moved for Lukaku.

Behind the forwards, Chelsea have a Ballon d'Or contender in midfielder Jorginho, who followed Champions League glory by helping Italy win Euro 2020.

Jorginho and Liverpool's Fabinho were the only players in the Premier League last season to have a passing accuracy of at least 89 per cent, while winning 50-plus tackles and making 40-plus interceptions.

Seven penalties from Jorginho also came in handy for Chelsea, and Tuchel, who arrived after a spell in charge of Paris Saint-Germain in mid-season, has been highly impressed.

"I think Jorgi is a strategic player," Tuchel said. "He can play advanced, he knows what to do in ball possession, he can imagine what's going to happen one or two passes ahead.

"He knows where to help out in short and longer distances, when to switch the play and when not to. He has a good sense of rhythm and, if you watch him separately, in isolation, he lacks maybe the pure physical ability that makes him the number one candidate to be the number six in the Premier League, you'd think, but once you have him in a structure he is very well organised in his game, organises all the environment around him, which helps him, then he can show his true abilities in controlling the rhythm of a game.

"On top of that too, he is a top guy. He is funny, he has a big smile on his face every single day. You can have chats with him, have a laugh every single day with him, because he's up for it. He is in love with this game."

Tuchel said Chelsea found "momentum" last season, which carried them to their season-ending success, describing them as "a real team with exceptional spirit".

Now a Premier League title is the obvious target, and Tuchel says continuing success will only come through "consistency and the daily process".

"We will not lose focus by putting expectations on people's shoulders. We have high expectations ourselves; we need to live up to those," said the former PSG boss. "Once we lower our levels, we could lose every single game in the Premier League. That is the reality."

Thomas Tuchel joked new signing Romelu Lukaku will score 50 or 60 times before the end of the year, but the Chelsea coach expects an impact beyond his goals.

Lukaku could make his second Blues debut against Arsenal on Sunday, having returned to Stamford Bridge in a £97.5million transfer from Inter.

Tuchel was asked on Friday if Lukaku could be "the missing piece" for his Chelsea side, who won the Champions League last season but were guilty of profligacy in front of goal.

While Lukaku scored 24 times for Inter in Serie A, converting 25 per cent of his shots, Timo Werner was wasteful in his first season in the Premier League.

From chances worth 11.5 expected goals, Werner netted just six times for a hugely underwhelming 7.6 per cent conversion rate.

Werner was still heavily involved in Chelsea's play, though, contributing eight assists while carrying the ball 130.6 metres and being involved in 4.9 shot-ending open play sequences per 90 minutes.

And Tuchel believes Werner is one of the players who can profit from the arrival of Lukaku, who was similarly influential at Inter with 11 assists as well as 5.2 shot-ending open play sequence involvements per 90.

Asked how many goals Lukaku might score this season, Tuchel told a news conference: "50, 60, honestly, until winter. No, we expect an impact. Let's see where the impact is.

"Of course, we expected goals – we should not talk around it – and he himself expects goals. Why? Because he delivered everywhere he played. This is why he's here.

"Then we will see how far the impact goes. He is a big personality in the dressing room.

"I'm absolutely convinced he will have a very positive impact on Timo Werner, on Kai Havertz, on Christian Pulisic, the guys who play with him, around him. He will open spaces and attract the focus from the defenders.

"Let's see how we will measure it in the end, but that we demand and he demands goals from him is obvious."

Asked to compare Lukaku to another striker, Tuchel replied: "I think he's pretty unique.

"He has physicality and an ability to play with his back to goal, but for me he is the strongest when he is in the half-open, open position even, in transition, to use his immense speed.

"I think with this kind of physical power and at the same time being so fast and so hungry and like a true goalscorer in his characteristic, it's for me a new and unique experience."

These are attributes Arsenal will likely have to deal with on Sunday, with Tuchel saying: "We are hoping he is on the pitch for Sunday and things look like it."

N'Golo Kante and Hakim Ziyech are also both back in training.

Romelu Lukaku will look to inflict more pain on wounded Arsenal when he makes his second Chelsea debut on Sunday.

Lukaku is set to be unleashed on the Gunners for a Premier League return at the Emirates Stadium after completing a record £97.5million (€115m) move from Inter.

The Belgium striker played a massive part in Inter's Serie A triumph last season and is back at Stamford Bridge hunting more trophies.

While Chelsea started their Premier League season with an emphatic 3-0 win over Crystal Palace, the Gunners suffered a 2-0 derby defeat to newly promoted Brentford.

Using Opta data, Stats Perform previews the big showdown in North London, with the Blues out for revenge after Arsenal did the double over them last season.

 

LUKAKU CAN FIRE AGAINST GUNNERS DESPITE POOR RECORD

Lukaku is relishing the challenge of taking the Blues' supposedly cursed number nine shirt.

If his record against Arsenal is anything to go by, a debut goal may be unlikely for the prolific frontman.

The former Everton and Manchester United striker has scored only twice in 15 Premier League appearances versus with Gunners, although he returns to England seemingly at another level.

Lukaku terrorised defences in Serie A and has been consistently outstanding at international level, the Red Devils' all-time leading goalscorer netting four times in five Euro 2020 games

Brentford exposed Arsenal's defensive frailties in the first game of the season and Lukaku could cause them all sorts of problems.

 

WERNER COULD CASH IN

Timo Werner came in for plenty of criticism for poor finishing in his first season in England, although the Germany international's pace and intelligent movement still made him a real handful.

Thomas Tuchel said Lukaku's arrival is good news for Werner, whose 29 touches in the win over Palace was the fewest by any Chelsea outfield player.

The presence of the powerhouse Lukaku and his ability to hold the ball up can help Werner thrive this season if they are both given the nod from the start.

Werner scored only six Premier League goals last season and provided eight assists, missing 18 of what were deemed by Opta to be big chances and falling short of the 11.5 expected goals (xG) tally.

He should not be short of opportunities with Lukaku leading the line and can silence any critics in the 2021-21 campaign.

 

GUNNERS NEED A CUTTING EDGE

Arsenal have only been beaten in three of their past 14 meetings with Chelsea but they will have to show a marked improvement from a lacklustre display against the Bees.

Strike duo Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette were absent for that loss, with the club confirming on Thursday both players had tested positive for coronavirus.

Lacazette will not face the Blues and Aubameyang is to be assessed ahead of the game.

Mikel Arteta's side played 15 Premier League games without at least one of Aubameyang or Lacazette - both linked with moves ahead of the transfer deadline - last season, winning nine, drawing four and losing two.

With the pair both in action, they won nine of 23 matches, lost 11 and drew three.

Folarin Balogun failed to hit the target with his three shots in his first Premier League start at Brentford, with Nicolas Pepe only testing David Raya once with his four attempts.

Arsenal must show more of a cutting edge if they are to get one over on their London rivals again and Chelsea will be wary of Kieran Tierney, who created six chances against the Bees.

Timo Werner has thanked Chelsea supporters for rallying behind him after being told to "get out of the club" by a fan during an open training session.

Chelsea's players were put through their paces at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, with those in attendance also getting a first glimpse of striker Romelu Lukaku up close since he rejoined the club last week.

But the event was somewhat overshadowed during a question-and-answer session with fans when one urged Werner to leave the club.

The comment was made over the PA system and prompted an angry response from others in the stands.

Werner was later inundated with positive messages on social media and expressed his gratitude to those who had reached out.

"Thanks for all the love and support I received today, Blues Fans! Really appreciate it," he posted on his personal Twitter account.

Werner has been a regular target of criticism during his 14 months at Chelsea, despite reaching double figures for both goals and assists last season.

That made him the first Blues player since Eden Hazard in 2018-19 to do so, though his 12 goals in 51 games was a substantial drop-off from the 34 managed in 45 appearances for RB Leipzig in the previous campaign.

Werner also endured a rather underwhelming start to the new Premier League season last weekend as he had just 29 touches of the ball during the 3-0 win against Crystal Palace, which was the fewest of any Chelsea outfield starter.

Record signing Romelu Lukaku says he has returned to Chelsea as a more “complete” player.

Chelsea spent a reported £97.5million to re-sign the striker, who previously joined as an 18-year-old from Anderlecht in 2011, from Inter.

Lukaku enjoyed spells with West Brom, Everton and Manchester United before impressing at Inter with 24 goals in Serie A last term to secure their first title in 11 years.

The 28-year-old spent two seasons in Serie A, notching 64 goals across all competitions as he quickly became Antonio Conte's main man in attack.

"I just feel more complete," Lukaku told the club's official website on Monday when asked to compare the difference between his two arrivals at Stamford Bridge.

"I’ve tried to master all the facets that a striker needs and I just want to keep improving on the small details all the time and keep improving on my strengths as well.

"It’s not like I’m a new player coming in and not quite knowing what to expect. I know the league, I’ve scored a fair amount of goals here but the past is the past and now we have to look forward.

"I’m a new version of that player from before. I’ve evolved and the team that I’m joining is a very strong team so now we just have to prove it on the pitch by challenging for the Premier League."

While Chelsea were without Lukaku on Saturday, but cruised to a 3-0 win in their Premier League opener against Crystal Palace.

Timo Werner touched the ball just 29 times in 90 minutes – the fewest of any Chelsea outfield starter – but Thomas Tuchel admitted said the game Lukaku's arrival is good news for the former RB Leipzig man.

From Tuchel's appointment until the end of last term, the Blues only netted 38 goals across all competitions, a figure hampered by Werner converting just 7.59 per cent of his 79 top-flight attempts, while also finishing only five of his 23 'big' chances..

Lukaku, in comparison, ranks fourth for shot conversion in Europe's top five leagues since joining Inter in August 2019, scoring 24.2 per cent of chances that have come his way.

Lukaku could feature with Werner for the trip to Arsenal on Sunday and the Belgium international spoke of his excitement over working with Tuchel.

"The conversation was really clear from him [Tuchel], that he wants me to be a presence and a leader in the team," Lukaku continued. "I have to just use all my abilities to make sure I can help the team as much as possible.

"I’m a leader but I’m also more of a gel person, making sure that everybody feels comfortable and confident. That’s the way I lead.

"I like the system that we play and I’m very flexible. I can play as a two or by myself and I’m used to the system because it’s what we play with the Belgian national team so I don’t need much time to adapt.

"It’s just knowing the strengths of my team-mates in important positions and knowing what we do off the ball, then I can do the rest."

Romelu Lukaku's arrival at Chelsea is good news for Timo Werner and Chelsea's other attacking players, according to head coach Thomas Tuchel.

Chelsea spent a reported club-record fee of £97.5million (€115m) to re-sign Lukaku from Inter this week, adding to Tuchel's options in the final third.

The 28-year-old was not included in the squad for Saturday's Premier League opener, with Werner instead leading the line for Chelsea.

Despite the Blues easing to a routine 3-0 win against Crystal Palace, it was a largely frustrating day for Werner as he managed only one attempt at Stamford Bridge.

Former RB Leipzig man Werner also had just 29 touches of the ball across his 90 minutes on the field, which was the fewest of any outfield Chelsea starter.

Lukaku's arrival has only increased the competition for places up top this term, but Tuchel can see the Belgian getting more out of Werner this season.

"I think the arrival of Romelu will help Timo a lot," Tuchel told Sky Sports. "He takes responsibility and will take some off Timo, Kai Havertz and Christian Pulisic.

"It gives us more variations. We can play with two strikers or go with a front three. The arrival of Romelu is good news for Timo."

Asked if Lukaku will be ready to start next week's trip to Arsenal, Tuchel added: "He escapes isolation on Monday, has a full week to prepare and should be on the pitch."

Saturday's victory at Stamford Bridge was Chelsea's eighth in a row against Palace, sealed thanks to goals from Marcos Alonso, Pulisic and Trevoh Chalobah.

Academy product Chalobah was making his first Premier League start for the Blues, having also featured from the beginning in Wednesday's Super Cup win over Villarreal.

At 22 years and 40 days, he is the second youngest Chelsea player to score on his debut in the competition after Paul Hughes (20y 274d) versus Derby County in 1997. 

And Tuchel believes the instant impact made by Chalobah, the brother of Chelsea title winner Nathaniel, proves there is a route to the first team for up-and-coming players.

"He produced two fantastic performances and played almost every minute in pre-season," Tuchel said. "He is a humble guy from the academy and was so, so good today.

"He plays with so much confidence and has so many good behaviours on the pitch. It was a pretty perfect afternoon for him. 

"You saw how they celebrated with him and these are the stories we love about football.

"In this game, in an exciting league with players from abroad, there is still place for homegrown talent at our club and other big clubs."

Chalobah, who spent the past three seasons out on loan, fired past Vicente Guaita with a long-range shot to round off the scoring for Chelsea in front of their returning fans.

The youngster has been with Chelsea since the age of eight and is glad to have taken full advantage of his opportunity to impress under Tuchel.

"It is a dream for a boy like me being here and to play for my home club is unreal," Chalobah added. "As I was getting closer to the goal I thought I might as well shoot.

"I didn't know the ball went in. I didn't know what to do. I was over the moon.

"I have been training with the team in pre-season and the manager said I was playing and I was ready.

"I was surprised by the Super Cup game too and the work has paid off. I have taken the opportunity with both hands."

Thomas Tuchel's transformation of Chelsea's defence was the key to their stunning turnaround in fortunes following Frank Lampard's dismissal, according to former Blues midfielder and assistant head coach Eddie Newton.

Lampard was sacked on January 25 after a run of just two wins in eight Premier League games left Chelsea ninth, 11 points off the summit. 

Former Paris Saint-Germain boss Tuchel was swiftly appointed and oversaw an impressive second half of the season, culminating in a stunning 1-0 win over Manchester City in the Champions League final on Saturday, Kai Havertz scoring the decisive goal shortly before half-time. 

Tuchel also sealed a top-four finish for Chelsea and guided them to the FA Cup final, although they ultimately lost that to Leicester City. 

Lampard and Tuchel were both in charge for 30 games across all competitions in the 2020-21 campaign, with the Blues conceding just 16 under the German compared to 31 in their former manager's games. 

And Newton, who played for Chelsea between 1990 and 1999 and had spells as assistant head coach in 2012 and 2015-16, is in no doubt the success is down to Tuchel's work on remodelling the backline. 

"Frank wanted to be on the front foot and the team was fundamentally in his personality," Newton told Stats Perform.

"He's a very offensive-thinking person, which leaves gaps at the back and towards the end they were getting punished on a regular basis. What Tuchel has done is put right the defensive side.

"He's also brought back senior players into the fold that were not in favour under Frank. Seniority brings stability and more nous about how to get through games when you're struggling. He brought that in.

"He changed the formation by playing three defenders at the back. It became multi-faceted.

"It's been fantastic stuff since he's come in. He's grabbed the bull by its horns and put down the foundations of what he wants to do.

"He's giving clear, concise information to everyone. Getting the results that he has, the players have bought into him. You can see the fight and that comes from the belief the coach has instilled into that team."

Tuchel once again chose Timo Werner to lead the line against City despite the Germany international's struggles in front of goal this season. 

He arrived from RB Leipzig last June for a fee in the region of £45million (€50m) with a reputation of being one of the most prolific attackers in Europe.

Werner scored 34 goals and supplied 12 assists in 45 appearances in all competitions for Leipzig in 2019-20, departing as the club's all-time leading scorer with 95 goals in total.

He has not been able to scale the same heights in his maiden campaign in English football, though, the 25-year-old scoring 12 times in 52 appearances across all competitions. He finished the Premier League season with a shot conversion rate of just 7.59 per cent.

While Newton is impressed with Werner's work ethic, he believes Tuchel will need to sign an established central striker for the 2021-22 campaign, with Chelsea having been linked to Harry Kane and Erling Haaland.

"He hasn't played with a number nine," Newton said. "Werner's work rate, even though he's not been clinical in front of goal, is what he admires and I'm sure his team-mates do as well. 

"He's willing to commit for the team. He's selfless, unlike other strikers, and works immensely hard for the team and that's where their defending starts from. It makes it easier for the team to defend.

"It's going to be interesting to see what he does next season. They can't continue without a number nine. Havertz is not a nine and won't be happy playing there. Werner is not a natural number nine; he likes to come in off the left and right. 

"It's going to be interesting to see how Tuchel addresses that situation. If they bring in a number nine, where do you put Havertz and Werner?"

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