Tuesday, March 26

A year of Thomas Tuchel: Chelsea remains a cup club in need of a new culture | chelsea


THomas Tuchel seemed to have all the right answers a year ago. In fact, the only time he wasn’t sure how to respond was when Chelsea approached him about replacing Frank Lampard. After all, Tuchel had just experienced a bitter breakup with Paris Saint-Germain and the idea of ​​going to Chelsea didn’t immediately seem like the smartest move.

The questions had to be answered. What if Tuchel found life at Stamford Bridge as exhausting as he did at PSG? Would you want to work in a top club again? Or would he decide that he no longer needed to manage the egos of stars and demanding executives?

However, as talks with Chelsea progressed, Tuchel came up with the idea. The powerful director Marina Granovskaia did not listen when the German asked her if she really wanted to fire a club legend. Lampard was gone and Tuchel, who had established a relationship with the club’s technical and performance advisor Petr Cech, was inside.

The pressure was on. Chelsea had dropped to ninth place and the locker room was an unhappy place. Tuchel focused on restoring harmony, introduced a greater tactical notion and, although Chelsea limped to fourth place and lost the FA Cup final to Leicester, the season ended on a high when Manchester City were beaten in the final of the Champions League.

By then, Tuchel could not be wrong. He outwitted Pep Guardiola in Porto and, having signed an initial 18-month deal, triggered a clause that said he would get another two years if he won the Champions League or the Premier League.

Tuchel, who met Roman Abramovich the morning after beating City, was pleased. He had embraced the Chelsea culture, which left him to focus on training, and he could trust Granovskaia and Cech not to interfere. Driving upwards was no problem for Tuchel, who had learned from clashes with his bosses at PSG and Borussia Dortmund, and it seemed that Chelsea were ready to challenge City’s domestic supremacy.

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Thomas Tuchel celebrates with the Champions League trophy last season.
Thomas Tuchel celebrates with the Champions League trophy last season. Photograph: Dave Shopland/BPI/Rex/Shutterstock

Now, however, the idea of ​​Chelsea overtaking City feels unlikely. The European champions are 12 points behind Guardiola’s side and Tuchel was depressed during his team’s 1-1 draw with Brighton last Wednesday.

It’s hard not to wonder if this is the beginning of a gradual decline. Chelsea have won four of their last 13 league games before hosting Tottenham on Sunday and although the team trails Tuchel, problems have arisen. There are no signs that Antonio Rüdiger, César Azpilicueta and Andreas Christensen will be extended before their deals run out this summer and Romelu Lukaku’s £97.5m transfer from Internazionale has failed to pan out.

Hailed as the final piece of the puzzle, Lukaku mostly seems out of place. The Belgian’s body language was poor against Brighton (his argument with the increasingly restless Hakim Ziyech at half-time was revealing) and his controversial interview with Sky Italia remains a source of tension.

It was heightened when Tuchel criticized Lukaku after Chelsea’s loss to City last weekend. However, was it a risk? Player power has been a recurring theme during the Abramovich era and Tuchel must know that it would be easier for the club to side with his record signing.

However, it would be absurd to think of separating from Tuchel. He has made mistakes – he could have rotated more, his approach in the two games against City was too passive and he hasn’t gotten the best out of Lukaku – but they are not terminal. Covid absences, a grueling schedule and injuries have all played a role. N’Golo Kanté has struggled to stay fit and has no excuse to point out that Chelsea are not the same without Ben Chilwell and Reece James, their first-choice full-backs.

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Chelsea's form has been affected by the absence of the injured Reece James (left) and Ben Chilwell.
Chelsea’s form has been affected by the absence of the injured Reece James (left) and Ben Chilwell. Photograph: Richard Lee/Rex/Shutterstock

Some of this is self-inflicted. Last summer Tuchel wanted a right-back, but Chelsea were unable to agree a fee for Jules Koundé with Sevilla. Now the 32-year-old Azpilicueta is replacing the injured James at right back when there could be an opportunity for Tariq Lamptey or Tino Livramento, two talented academy products.

It is a worrying trend. Livramento has flourished at Southampton and Lamptey has been a revelation at Brighton, but neither youngster saw a path at Chelsea. The feeling is that there are still too many players in the squad who have run out of time. For example, it is not surprising that Alonso has not been as dynamic as Chilwell down the left. The 31-year-old has never been fast. He should have been transferred a while ago and yet, with Lyon reluctant to release Emerson Palmieri from his loan, the only alternative to the Spaniard is Kenedy after his return from Flamengo.

Is Kenedy, who hasn’t played for Chelsea since 2018, the solution? Clearly not, but he’s not the only player whose presence raises an eyebrow. Why, for example, is Ross Barkley still around? Is Saúl Ñíguez, who has struggled since joining on loan from Atlético de Madrid, more useful in midfield than Billy Gilmour or Conor Gallagher?

Saúl Ñíguez (left) and Ross Barkley in action for Chelsea at Zenit Saint Petersburg.  Are they better options than Billy Gilmour or Conor Gallagher?
Saúl Ñíguez (left) and Ross Barkley in action for Chelsea at Zenit Saint Petersburg. Are they better options than Billy Gilmour or Conor Gallagher? Photograph: MB Media/Getty Images

There has to be more regeneration. This squad has been made up of six permanent coaches: Roberto Di Matteo, José Mourinho, Antonio Conte, Maurizio Sarri, Frank Lampard and Tuchel. There is no clear playing identity and while a ruthless run has given Chelsea plenty of trophies, that approach is starting to look outdated as City make sure everything runs smoothly under Guardiola and Liverpool are built in the image of Jürgen. Klopp.

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Chelsea, which hasn’t challenged for the title in five years, needs a rethink. This season they have won the Super Cup and could win the Club World Cup and the Carabao Cup next month, but that is not enough. The hierarchy must look inward and wonder if they would have given Klopp five years to win a title, or allowed Guardiola to build on after winning nothing in his first season in England.

The difference is marked. City is not significantly richer than Chelsea, but its operation is smoother. They prepared for the arrival of Guardiola, they have a clear style and they know how to win titles. On the contrary, Tuchel arrived in the middle of the season and is catching up with Klopp and Guardiola.

It is true that Tuchel’s equipment is enormously expensive. They have Lukaku, Christian Pulisic, Ziyech, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Timo Werner, Mason Mount and Kai Havertz in attack, but Chelsea remain forceful. The forwards have not improved with Tuchel.

Romelu Lukaku celebrates with Callum Hudson-Odoi and Kai Havertz after scoring against Aston Villa, but neither striker has improved under Thomas Tuchel.
Romelu Lukaku celebrates with Callum Hudson-Odoi and Kai Havertz after scoring against Aston Villa, but neither striker has improved under Thomas Tuchel. Photograph: Dylan Martinez/Reuters

However, at this time last year, Lampard was talking about how Chelsea no longer had “goal or assist machines” like Diego Costa and Eden Hazard. The attack feels thrown together. Lampard said that Chelsea were not ready to win the league and that not much had changed.

It should give Chelsea pause for thought. Cech and Granovskaia worked with Tuchel when Lukaku stepped out of line, but more is needed. By repeatedly letting underperforming players slip away and adhering to a cycle of hiring and firing, Chelsea have become a cup team.

He is too volatile and while there will always be enough talent for a savvy manager to make an instant impact, Tuchel’s one-year anniversary next Wednesday should prompt Chelsea to consider why they are behind City. It’s not about money, it’s about culture, and Chelsea need to let Tuchel create a new one if they want to win the league.


www.theguardian.com

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