Thomas Tuchel, Manager of Chelsea, and Hakim Ziyech of Chelsea interact. (Photo by Alastair Grant - Pool/Getty Images)
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel made some bold changes for Chelsea in their 3-1 win against Southampton as he dropped Hakim Ziyech and Kai Havertz to the bench.
Apart from the duo, Andreas Christensen and Marcos Alonso were two other players ejected from the starting XI after a poor outing against Juventus during Chelsea’s 1-0 loss in their UEFA Champions League game.
Havertz and Ziyech remained as unused substitutes as Southampton were reduced to 10 men during a crucial phase of the game. Speaking after the game (h/t football.london), Tuchel did not hide his feelings about the duo’s form.
“We always try to do our best to get the players in the best shape but at some point, after a lot of chances, we have to admit that Kai and Hakim are not in their very best shape… They struggle at the moment to be decisive.”
However, the former PSG and Borussia Dortmund boss clarified that no one is worried at the club about their form, and that they will come out of this run of form sooner rather than later.
“They have maybe lost a bit of belief, confidence, whatever. We will not stop trying to boost them. Nobody is angry at them and nobody has major concerns, but we have to pay attention to the actual form.”
Chelsea paid big money to get in Ziyech and Havertz and it’s no use pretending that the two of them are in their best form. Tuchel has done the right thing to not mask his feelings about the duo.
But he could have perhaps cushioned the blow and smoothened the edges around his comments. The onus is now on Havertz and Ziyech to pay heed to the manager’s instructions and work their way into the starting XI.
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