Searching for Schurrle

Article by e-Chelsea Correspondent Robert Wake

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One suspects Andre Schurrle is a slightly concerned young German at the moment. Having started the season in good form, and with plenty of opportunities to impress, the winger has slowly fallen out of favour for reasons that are not immediately apparent.

Schurrle appeared in all of Chelsea’s opening seven Premiership matches, as well as the UEFA Super Cup and four Champions’ League group fixtures. By contrast, Schurrle has only appeared for 7 minutes of The Blues last six Premiership outings since being replaced along with Juan Mata at Southampton on New Year’s Day – we all know what happened to Mata; consigned to playing out of position for a mid-table club. From a selfish viewpoint, Schurrle was probably quietly happy enough to see Mata leave, believing it would give him more opportunities to show his worth, but that has not been the case. Though he played 70 minutes of the FA Cup tie against Stoke City at the end of January that has been his only significant action since being withdrawn at Southampton.

There are of course a number of reasons for Schurrle’s lack of minutes recently. Foremost among them is the form of Eden Hazard. It is hard to believe, but Hazard, who like Schurrle prefers cutting in from the left-wing, started the season rather slowly, allowing the German to stake an early claim for a starting role.

Since early October however, Hazard has been on top form, becoming an integral part of the team in the position Schurrle also favours. Schurrle’s chances to stake a claim on the right-wing have been similarly hampered by the recent form of Willian, who, like Hazard started the season slowly following his arrival from Shakhtar Donetsk.

Schurrle’s situation has been further complicated by the arrival of Egyptian winger Mohamed Salah from FC Basel. As previously noted, Schurrle has only appeared for 7 minutes since Salah’s arrival, and the undemonstrative German must now fear for his chances of being selected by Joachim Low for the German World Cup squad.

With Chelsea out of the FA Cup, and competing fiercely at the top of the Premiership and in the Champions League, Mourinho is likely to field his strongest 11 for most of the remaining fixtures, and that does not include Andre Schurrle. Barring injuries to that eleven, Schurrle is likely to be sitting on the bench watching his World Cup prospects as well as his future role at the club becoming increasingly uncertain.

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