Former Chelsea forward Timo Werner has opened up about his frustrating experience with disallowed goals during his time at Stamford Bridge, claiming that around half of the efforts ruled out against him were not actually offside. Speaking in a video published by The Late Run Podcast on Friday, November 6, 2026, the German international explained how repeated VAR decisions affected his confidence and performances.

During the discussion, the podcast hosts asked Werner how he dealt with the criticism he received while playing for Chelsea. The forward admitted that his first season at the club was particularly difficult, despite helping the Blues win the Champions League.

Werner also pointed to the introduction of the video assistant referee system in the Premier League, which had begun approximately a year before his arrival. He recalled experiencing an unusually high number of goals being disallowed during that period.

The 30-year-old estimated that 16 of his goals were ruled out in a single season, although he acknowledged that he could not remember the exact figure. One of the hosts described the situation as 16 goals being disallowed for offside, highlighting the extent of the frustration surrounding his finishing.

Werner explained that some decisions were understandable because there had been clear offside positions. However, he believed several other incidents involved marginal situations in which officials spent considerable time examining the footage before identifying a reason to cancel the goal.

He recalled the disappointment of celebrating what appeared to be an important goal, only for officials to overturn the decision because of a possible infringement or a minor offside position.

The former Chelsea striker said: “I was celebrating and they took it back, because there was a small foul and there was maybe a little bit offside. Sometimes it was clear offside, okay, I take it, but half of that was not even offside. They were searching like five minutes to find something, and then they found something. And then you have the feeling, oh, they take a goal away from me again and again and again, and your energy drops, your confidence drops.”

According to Werner, the repeated disappointment gradually affected his mentality in front of goal. He explained that forwards depend heavily on confidence, and having goals repeatedly cancelled can make it increasingly difficult to maintain the belief needed to finish chances.

He added that the problem can become a cycle for an attacking player. After seeing one goal disallowed, a striker may begin missing subsequent opportunities, with another unsuccessful attempt further damaging confidence. Werner described that combination as one of the worst situations a forward can experience.

He also explained how discouraging it can be for a striker who works hard to reach scoring positions, finds the net and then watches the effort removed from the match record.

Despite those frustrations, Werner maintained that his overall contribution during the season was still respectable. He said he finished the campaign with a decent number of goals and assists, suggesting that the disallowed efforts did not completely define his performances.

The German also criticised the lasting influence of social media on public perceptions of players. In his view, negative incidents attract more attention and remain part of the conversation longer than positive contributions, allowing frustrating moments to overshadow otherwise productive performances.

Watch headline quotes from (24:30–24:45).: