Tuchel insists 'average looks horrible when you play for Chelsea'
Thomas Tuchel insists ‘average looks horrible when you play for Chelsea’ after the Blues conceded six goals in two games against West Ham and Zenit as he admits his side must go ‘back to basics’ ahead of Leeds clash
- Chelsea lost the lead four times and conceded six goals in their last two games
- Zenit St Petersburg scored a late equaliser to push Chelsea to second in Group H
- Chelsea held the lead twice against West Ham but suffered a 3-2 league defeat
- Blues boss Thomas Tuchel insisted they were unlucky but must ‘not look away’
Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel admitted he is concerned about his side’s last three performances after repeatedly letting their lead slip and insisted they must return to basics.
The Blues fell to a 3-2 defeat to West Ham in the Premier League last Saturday after taking the lead twice before the break through Thiago Silva and Mason Mount.
It was the first time Chelsea had conceded more than one goal this season and the result knocked them off the top of the table.
Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has insisted his side must return to basics after conceding six
The German’s side went on to concede three more midweek in a rollercoaster 3-3 draw against Zenit St Petersburg in the Champions League.
The manager claimed Chelsea’s ‘average’ performances were not good enough for the highest level as he called upon them to rally ahead of their clash with Leeds on Saturday.
‘The performances are not bad or horrible, but they are average and average looks horrible when you play for Chelsea,’ he said.
‘It is good when it is like this because we are trying to compete at the highest level.
The Blues boss (centre) claimed his side’s ‘average’ displays look horrible for Chelsea
Magomed Ozdoyev (bottom left) scored a late equaliser for Zenit St Petersburg midweek
‘If you have the lead four times in two matches and you escape with one point and six goals conceded, it is not the time to look away and pretend nothing is happening.
‘We cannot drop in subjects when we have the lead. The last two games were very unusual for us.
‘We were also unlucky in these moments like the last two goals we conceded were not perhaps ones you would usually concede.
‘It is back to basics and basics on the highest level. We are in this together. We are aware of it, it is not the moment to worry too much but also to not look away.’
West Ham’s late effort late effort condemned Chelsea to a 3-2 defeat at the London Stadium
The Blues also struggled to snatch all three league points against Watford last week, clinching a 2-1 win through Hakim Ziyech after letting their lead slip to Emmanuel Dennis’s goal just before the break.
‘I had a feeling we were not ready to play Watford and match their intensity,’ Tuchel said. ‘We escaped with a win and managed to grow on an acceptable level.’
Tuchel confirmed Chelsea’s squad remains decimated after a series of injury blows with Trevoh Chalobah, N’Golo Kante and Ben Chilwell all sidelined, while Matteo Kovacic has tested positive for Covid.
The German will be without both N’Golo Kante (second from R) and Mateo Kovacic (L)
But the Blues boss has been handed a boost as Chelsea prepare to welcome Marcelo Bielsa’s side to Stamford Bridge.
He revealed Jorginho trained in the last two sessions and will ‘play through the pain’ on Saturday.
Tuchel also had a positive update on Kante, revealing: ‘You cannot find a second N’Golo so of course we are worried. It is likely too long a break again and we hope that he comes back to team training on Tuesday.’
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