New manager but same old problem for Chelsea – Tuchel has no instant solution to scoring issues

BY PAUL LAGAN
paul@slpmedia.co.uk

Having sacked Blues legend Frank Lampard this week, German Thomas Tuchel was parachuted in by Chelsea and was immediately faced with the same problems that beset his illustrious predecessor – lots of possession but a lack of goals.

Tuchel, who was sacked by Paris St Germain on Christmas Eve, had one training session with his new charges and, as expected, opted for experience in the 0-0 home draw against Wolves on Wednesday.

The fact that it was expected, meant that Wolves also knew what to expect. A tweaked formation aside, all Wolves had to do was defend stoically and hope for a swift counter-attack to take something from the game. It worked like a charm, leaving Tuchel to try and be positive after the event.

In fact, Wolves had the best chance, lofting a chipped ball on to Edouard Mendy’s crossbar in the second half. A goal-line clearance by William Jose from a Kai Havertz header late on was the best the Blues could achieve.

Chelsea are eighth in the Premier League and host Burnley on Sunday.

Tuchel, 47, projected an air of post-match positivity, citing that his new players had “16 recoveries in the last third.”

Had any one of those recoveries resulted in a goal, that statistic might have been welcomed by fans and club hierarchy.

He said: “I walked in the dressing room and told everybody there is no room for disappointment now. There is no room for doubts.

“I was very happy with the performance energy-wise, our intensity. We had 16 recoveries in the last third. We were very structured, we did not allow any dangerous counter-attacks to one of the most dangerous teams in counter-attacks.”

Tuchel went on to suggest that had there been fans in the stadium, they would have helped the players score from a couple of half-chances.

I would have been happy to have a full stadium here,” he said.

“I think the fans would have liked what they saw here. We managed to put the game completely into the opponents half, we managed to close down counter-attacks very early, we created a lot of half chances.”

One player who must have been surprised to get the nod to start was Callum Hudson-Odoi – at wing-back.

Often not trusted by Lampard to start matches, and used mostly as an impact substitute, the 20-year-old winger took his chance and put in a man-of-the-match performance.

Hudson-Odoi said: “It was something new for me. I felt alright playing in it, it wasn’t a problem for me. It was good trying to play that position and no matter where the manager asks me to play I will try to do my best.”

Tuchel’s message to him on how to play was, to be fair, mirrored what Lampard demanded.

Hudson-Odoi said: “He wants me to keep getting at full-backs and defenders as much as possible.

He knows all the attacking players can be free and score goals. He wants us to keep pushing and try to get goals and get assists. He told me to work up and down that line, be direct and stay as high and wide as possible.

“We have to be more clinical with our crossing and more clinical with our passing. End product just to finish it off. We can hopefully improve on it on Sunday.’

Chelsea Women went back to the top of the WSL on goal difference with a 4-0 drubbing away to Aston Villa on Wednesday.

Strikes from Sam Kerr, Beth England, Pernille Harder and skipper Magda Eriksson saw off the Midlanders with relative ease.

Emma Hayes side take on Spurs on Sunday in the league before facing West Ham, again at Kingsmeadow, in the semi-final of the League Cup on Wednesday.

Should the holders prevail they will face either Leicester City or Bristol City. The final is at Watford’s Vicarage Road in the final on March 14.