Soccer

Tuchel insists Chelsea’s stuttering form does not reflect performances

Coach may recall Kanté and Kovacic against Wolves even if ‘it would not be fair to them’

Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel said: ‘I refuse to analyse the Everton match from the result. And if you only look at results in football you can be horribly misled.’ Photograph: Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images

Jacob Steinberg
Fri Dec 17 2021 - 22:31

Thomas Tuchel has insisted there was little wrong with his side's performance in Thursday's sloppy 1-1 draw with Everton. Chelsea cannot afford to stumble again when they visit Wolves on Sunday having fallen behind Manchester City and Liverpool after winning three of their past seven league games.

“We have good performances, sometimes very good but we don’t have the results,” Chelsea’s manager said. “This is exactly the place where you don’t want to be. If you have bad performances and don’t have the results you just focus on the performance and you speak it out loud.

“You get the performance better. Whatever needs to be done, get it done to increase the possibility of a result. A good performance and no result is the worst place. A bad performance and a good result is the best place because you say focus on the performance and we still win and you have the atmosphere. I refuse to analyse the Everton match from the result. And if you only look at results in football you can be horribly misled.”

Tuchel is adamant that it was a freak result against Everton after Chelsea had 80 per cent possession and had 23 shots against Rafael Benítez’s side. “The feeling would be totally different if we sat here now after a 3-0 win,” he said. “We would be praising the players.”

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Jorginho and Ruben Loftus-Cheek have been an unconvincing midfield pairing in the absence of N'Golo Kanté and Mateo Kovacic, both of whom could start against Wolves after lengthy lay-offs. "We have Jorginho in doubt because he is in pain," Tuchel said. "Ruben Loftus-Cheek is a doubt. Maybe we will start with N'Golo and Mateo. Would that be fair? No."

Kai Havertz could return from illness against Wolves. The forward has scored only twice in the league this season. "He's trying hard," Tuchel said. "He is still adapting and he has all the potential and all the character to be a top player for Chelsea, but he is still growing. He is far from being ready. He is still super young and he needs to grow into it." – Guardian

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