Chelsea – Leeds United / “Thomas Tuchel is getting more and more annoyed”: the Blues, why is it getting stuck?

The situation is not dramatic. But it has something to challenge. Thomas Tuchel’s team have won only one of their last four matches in all competitions, with two draws and one loss. The downturn is minimal, but it remains unusual for Chelsea. The Blues had only experienced a comparable situation at the end of September, when they had chained two defeats in the shocks against Manchester City (0-1) and Juventus Turin (1-0). They had won 9 of their next 10 matches. But the machine got stuck again.

Tuchel’s anger

What Tuchel couldn’t stand was her team’s slack when they were leading to the mark. This was the case against Zenit as against West Ham. “My analysis is very clear: our behavior changes when we are leading in the score and this is something we have never done and should never do., he insisted. You have to play with the pain – the physical pain – and you have to increase your level of concentration and you have to overcome adversity. If you change your behavior because of the score, you allow the possibility of being punished.“

A blunt workforce

Chelsea may have tended to take the easy way out. And the cause appears to be physical. “Lhe big problem is the injuries, says Pete Sharland, our colleague from eurosport.co.uk. Chelsea have been completely wiped out in the past month. Romelu Lukaku was absent for a while and still has not recovered. Ben Chilwell is out until the new year. The first three choices in the middle (Jorginho, Kanté and Kovacic) were or are injured. Kai Havertz has missed matches, Trevoh Chalobah is affected. Cesar Azpilicueta is still not in good shape. That’s a lot, even with Chelsea’s squad depth.”

A workforce that is also reaching its limits. Tuchel has shown an impressive ability to make the most of his squad’s potential, but liners aren’t always up to the usual starting level. “Some players have certainly let go, continues Pete Sharland. Marcos Alonso was and remains an incomplete left-back. He is good at attacking but cannot defend at all. Andreas Christensen seems far from his pace at the moment, not sure if this is due to his contractual situation or not (his contract expires next June, Editor’s note). “

As in Dortmund and PSG?

Tuchel, however, did not put forward the wear and tear of his group as a reason for the bad patch crossed by Chelsea. The Blues coach invariably has the same level of requirements with his players and his exit after the draw against Zenit goes in this direction. “It was interesting to hear Tuchel so angry after the Zenit game, explique Pete Sharland. He has criticized players in the press before, and he’s known to always want more and never be satisfied. But he’s clearly more and more annoyed.”

The former PSG coach had never been so off the hook since he put his bags in London. He hadn’t needed it as the Blues had mastered their subject on the pitch. And his change in behavior since things got more complicated is reminiscent of his past. “I wonder if he’s starting to get angry like he did in Dortmund and PSG, recognizes Pete Sharland. I don’t think it’s that bad yet, but Tuchel clearly thinks his players aren’t giving him enough.“The German has not taken a pinch of salt to get the message across to his players. It will be up to them to respond on the pitch against Leeds.