by When a manager is in charge of a club like Chelsea, they are almost expected to fight for the shirt and the badge. Even when it might back them into a corner or force them to say something odd or controversial, they are expected to do so. So, when Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel seen his captain, Cesar Azpilicueta, having an argument with a Chelsea supporter in the loss to Arsenal, most expected Tuchel to scold his captain. However, the Blues coach came out in defence of the fan, not his captain, in a surprising twist that could have some dressing room repercussions.
The captain took to the stand to have an argument with a fan in the 4-2 loss, in which the Spaniard scored. Tempers were at the limit and there was a clear argument between the player and a fan. When asked about his view on the incident, Tuchel said: . “I was not part of it, I saw it, but, honestly, I can also understand the fan. It was a totally wild and open game in the first half, already at 2-2 after we came back twice.
“We had a good start but again gave the first goal away, which is impossible to do these things in consecutive matches. But we’re doing it. We came back twice and we scored another two in the second half, unfortunately for the wrong side. It’s a level of mistakes, the number of mistakes in consecutive games here at home, it’s impossible at this kind of level. You don’t see this. It’s simply impossible, but we’re doing this at the moment and you cannot win football games like this.”
Tuchel not making excuses for lack of success this season
Beginning the season, most Chelsea fans would have expected a challenge for the league title. They would also have expected to at least make the last four of the UEFA Champions League. And while crashing out to a Karim Benzema-inspired Real Madrid might not be something to be ashamed of, their poor performance in the league is worrying. However, the current Blues coach wasted no time in trying to build an excuses culture for his team.
One reason put to Tuchel for the goals conceded and the poor overall form has been the situation with Antonio Rudiger. However, Tuchel was keen to dismiss this theory, saying: “We conceded seven goals with Toni against Brentford and Real Madrid, that answers the question,
“It’s not about individual players. Defensive performance is a team performance, and offensive performance is a team performance. You need to have the tactics right, which is doubtful I had this right, and you need the team selection right, again it’s doubtful I had this right.
“Then it’s a game for the players. They get full praise when they do it when they did it for the last three matches, and they have to face the reality that it’s impossible to win matches if you make this amount of mistakes of this calibre. It’s simply impossible.
“I don’t see it in any other matches, but I see it now in consecutive matches of our games, and it has to stop.”
For Chelsea, then, there is clearly much to think about ahead of a pivotal season of development and change for the club.
