Chelsea forward Timo Werner has revealed that the intensity and physicality of the Premier League has been difficult to adapt to since arriving at Stamford Bridge last summer.
The 24-year-old joined the Blues from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig for around £53m, having scored 28 league goals in just 34 appearances last season.
However, having scored just five Premier League goals this campaign, the German has admitted that he has been surprised by the challenges he has faced and that his confidence has taken a hit over the last few months.
"At the beginning, I had this self-image that I can go on doing my thing here, but in the last few months I have been brought down to earth," Werner told Kicker.
"It's the way in England that you never have a quiet game. The players are 1.9 meters tall, brutal physically and really fast, including the defenders. It's impressive what intensity is going on in the Premier League.
"Of course I noticed that in such a lull you are no longer necessarily called a super striker. I just had to let go of all the pressure of having to score goals."
Werner will be hoping that he can perform on a more consistent basis in the coming weeks as Chelsea face a challenging run of fixtures, with their Champions League encounter against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday followed by clashes against Manchester United and Liverpool.
Oliver Thomas
