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To understand Timo Werner's style of play at Leipzig, we must analyse how he impacts the game during different phases of the game; ie., Build Up, Attack and Pressing.
Build Up
RB Leipzig under Nagglesmann usually build's up from the back and progresses the ball through wings. During the build up, Timo Werner generally sticks to the touchline regardless of his starting position.
RB Leipzig under Nagglesmann usually build's up from the back and progresses the ball through wings. During the build up, Timo Werner generally sticks to the touchline regardless of his starting position.
This is because Werner likes to receive the ball with his back towards the touchline and his turning angles in the range of his peripheral vision rather than his back towards his own goal and under pressure from giant defenders.
Staying wide also allows him to scan the game well and attack spaces with his burst of pace. Additionally it also helps him to get involved in counter attacks - as a general rule of futball, you always make a clearance towards the wide areas and not towards the middle of the park
Another reason Nagglesmann sticks Werner wide is because Werner is effective in getting behind the fullback using his pace and most teams in Bundesliga pushes it's fullbacks high. Against Bayern Munich, Werner stuck to right wing indtead of left to find the space behind Davies.
Nagglesmann's squad relies more on quick transition to find goals rather than possession based football. Werner is often a target of these crosses to switch play. Chelsea usually builds up with more patience. It'll be interesting to see if Werner continues to hug the English...
... touchlines or plays centrally since English teams play in low blocks and Lampard likes to keep possession.
Formations and tactics differ when team has possession in final third. When Leipzig gets the ball in the final third, Nagglesmann likes his team to play through the middle and to keep the ball on the ground rather than long hopeful crosses into the box
Werner drifts in into the half space or into to central channels rather than sticking wide as soon as ball is with Leipzig in the final third. Timo usually plays in left half space & he loves to make in darting runs into the penalty box; he rarely cuts in and shoots from distance
Werner also enjoys a good link up play, give and goes and one twos. Werner, Poulsen and Nkunku have developed several training ground moves and loves to pass each other in triangles. It's very much reminiscent of Costa, Fabregas and Hazard's partnership, the way they combine.
Werner likes to maintain proximity with Poulsen and Nkunku in this regard to get one on one with the keeper or set up his partner in tight spaces. This is where I am most concerned. One touch passing and link up play isn't a strong suit of Tammy Abraham....
...His xGBuildup is practically non existent. Other than that (and pressing - we'll come to that in a moment), Tammy Abraham is pretty much the striker Werner would love to play alongside.
And indeed Poulsen is a powerhouse at Leipzig. Without possession, Poulsen's role is similar to that of Mason Mount at Chelsea. Werner is the poacher. The screenshots below are a courtesy of Totalfootballanalysis and wyscout.
Another dimension in which we can analyse Werner's style of play in a more specific way is by asking a question whether he is better at playing in between the lines or at the shoulder of last defender. He has played in both roles under Nagglesmann.
He usually plays as a #10 against teams which are harder to break. And at the shoulder when he has space behind to morph into Turbo Timo
Everything else about Werner - his strengths (close footed dribbler, pace, finishing etc.), his weaknesses (offside proneness, lack of physique, aerial inability etc.), and his statistics have been discussed far too often.
Regarding his position, he has played 79% of his games this season as a striker in a front two. And that's where I would like to see him play. A 4-2-2-2 or a false #10 in a 4-2-3-1.
