He is not a regular starter at Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea but Andre Schurrle enjoyed a successful first season at the Bridge and looks set to play a major part in the title chase this season as well.
Arriving from Bayer Leverkusen with an £18m price tag to his name last summer, Schurrle came off the bench as many times as getting the nod from the off in his first season. With a total of 30 appearances in his first season, the 23-year-old showed great quality and what impact he can have on the team.
From his 15 starts and 15 substitute appearances, Schurrle netted eight times in the Premier League last season, including an impressive hat-trick away to Fulham. That hat-trick showed what quality lies within the wide attacker. His movement is brilliant, he works his socks off both defensively and going forward and he scores goals.
Key characteristics
Schurrle is a very direct player who likes to cut inside from his wide position and attempt long shots. He can also play as a centre forward, where his pace can cause major trouble for any defence.
His preferred foot is his right, but he is considered to be a two-footed player. Against Stoke last season he proved that he could find the net with his allegedly weaker left foot as he scored twice from outside the box.
All his qualities give Mourinho loads of options with Schurrle. Versatility is highly recognised in modern football and Schurrle is definitely a player that goes under that category.
Impact player
Analysing his performances in Chelsea Blue so far shows the type of player Mourinho considers him to be. Away from home, the gaffer likes to play counter-attacking football, and Schurrle got nine starts and eight substitute appearances away from home last season. In other words, he played every away match except from two, while he at home featured six times from kick off and seven times as a sub.
Mourinho is more likely to use Schurrle away from home due to his pace and movement. It is unsettling for opposing defenders to come up against a player like Schurrle as you never know what his next move will be.
Without putting too much pressure on Schurrle, he can be a decisive player in big games this season. His impact on the team is brilliant and his attitude when not getting picked week after week is admirable.
In Schurrle we have a superb player who knows his tasks well and let us just hope he continues to build on the great start he has had to this season, netting twice in the opening five Premier League matches.
What impact do you think Schurrle will have on our team this season?
Chelsea Talk.