Blues Rejuvenated With Tuchel Entry

Although it has only been two weeks since Thomas Tuchel walked through the doors of Stamford Bridge, there is a sudden boost of energy amongst the Chelsea players.

Though the sacking of Frank Lampard was harsh to take for Blues fans, with three victories in their last four games under new manager Tuchel, there may be light at the end of the tunnel for Chelsea.

What’s Changed?

Since the German took over, Chelsea have switched to a 3-4-3 formation, which ultimately suits the likes of Timo Werner and Christian Pulisic, who like to play on the wing and then drift into a more central position.

However, what’s not changed is the fact that the likes of Mason Mount, Callum Hudson Odoi, Tammy Abraham and Reece James are still getting an opportunity to play,  which is a good sign for Gareth Southgate and England ahead of the upcoming European Championships in the summer. Hudson-Odoi seems to be one of the players who is relishing playing under the German.

Also, the fact that Tuchel is quite strict in terms of picking players who are consistently performing week in and week out has sort of begun a competition for keeping their place in the starting XI.

Let’s also not forget that some of that some of the players i.e. Christian Pulisic and Thiago Silva have played under Tuchel in the past with Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain, so they already know a lot about him in terms of the tactics he uses on the pitch.

What Needs Improving?

One of the concerns for Chelsea is at the back. The centre back pairing and who is good enough to partner Silva at the back. With Rudiger’s mistake against Sheffield United, there will be a few question marks on him. Then you have Kurt Zouma, who has not had a game under Tuchel, although, he struggled with consistency under Lampard, which is why he may not be in the starting XI.

César Azpilicueta could be an option, but is he really comfortable playing in that role? Maybe or maybe not.

Reece James looks a promising young full back, although he still needs to improve the defensive side of his game as he sometimes forgets to track back when Chelsea lose possession of the ball.

Another major issue is the goalkeeping position. Edouard Mendy and especially Kepa Arizzabalaga have both struggled between the sticks for Chelsea since and have made some casual errors. Both have been questioned on whether they have been a suitable replacement Thibuat Courtois, who left for Real Madrid in the Summer of 2018.

As far as rumours go, it looks as if Tuchel was targeting Athletico Madrid’s Jan Oblak as a potential target in the Summer Transfer Window.

But in spite of these concerns, it has been a positive start for Tuchal as Blues boss.

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