Thomas Tuchel explains why Chelsea cannot copy Inter’s tactics to suit Lukaku

Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel makes Antonio Conte and Inter Milan comparison about Romelu Lukaku

Thomas Tuchel has revealed why Chelsea cannot use Romelu Lukaku the way Antonio Conte had used him at Inter Milan. He was asked if there was any discussion regarding that during the meeting they conducted to talk about the striker’s controversial interview with Sky Italy.

The Blues are set to face Conte’s Tottenham Hotspur later today in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-finals. The Belgian got reinstated into the team after he was sidelined for the match against Liverpool as a punishment. It was following his interview where he hinted at being uneasy with the tactics used by the manager at Stamford Bridge.

Speaking in the pre-match press conference (h/t Football.London), Tuchel explained that the factors at Inter and the West London club are different which is the reason why similar tactics cannot be used. He added how the whole squad has to be taken into consideration and the system cannot just cater to the needs of one player.

“We cannot just play like Inter played and hope that will bring the best out of Romelu. That system he played at Inter did not only suit Romelu and the second striker Lautaro Martinez, it fits the whole squad. Conte played 3-4-3 at Chelsea. At Inter he played 3-5-2. Obviously, he is adapting to his players and implementing his ideas, and this is what I do. I put my players in positions where they are confident they can help the team.”

Puzzling question

It is surprising why the German coach was even asked this question as it should be a piece of common knowledge. There cannot be a one-to-one comparison between two clubs since the factors involved are various and volatile. As such, it would not be wise to think that tactics can be replicated to the same extent.

We are not playing the same way we have done the previous season under the Blues boss. There have been changes due to different reasons, like new additions, performances of certain players etc. Elements like these play a role, so the boss has to find a suitable solution for the entire team rather than just one player.

A team can be built around one player, but it can never cater to the needs of just one person. We do not have a similar striker to Lautaro Martinez, plus the playing style of our squad is different compared to the Inter team. These reasons further justify what the Blues coach has mentioned above when asked about the subject.

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It is not like the Chelsea centre-forward has never played as a loan striker, as he plays in a similar role for the Belgian national team. He had also been used similarly at Everton when he broke through to become a rising superstar.

But it is important to note that there could be other tactics as well, apart from how the team lines up on paper, that could impact Lukaku’s playing style. He should rather put his down and focus on adjusting to what the manager is wanting from him at Stamford Bridge.