Graham Potter throws his weight behind Chelsea star Mason Mount. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Speaking to reporters ahead of the away clash against Brighton & Hove Albion, Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel admitted that Mason Mount was not happy to be left out of the starting lineup against Manchester City, which saw the Blues lose 1-0 at the Etihad stadium (h/t football.london).
Former Chelsea boss Frank Lampard had once referenced Mount’s dedication and willingness to take on more workload, saying that the England international would have his eyes ‘burning’ at the manager if the player was not selected for a game.
After Mount was dropped to the bench for the City game, Tuchel opened up on whether the German received the ‘burning eyes’ that Lampard referenced and explained the reason behind his starting line-up.
“Yeah, I get them and this is absolutely normal. But it’s still within Mason’s character of kindness and being polite and being respectful, so there is no harm in this. I get the eyes, I get the look. I know the look, of course. He is here to play these kinds of matches, but we were simply opting for runners.”
Mount has been a regular not only for Tuchel’s side, but also for Chelsea ever since his debut in 2019, racking up 136 appearances for his boyhood club. Tuchel has also used the 23-year-old several times this season, with Mount featuring in 19 of a possible 22 Premier League games this term.
Despite nailing down a starting spot in Tuchel’s regular Chelsea lineups, Mount saw himself relegated to the bench for the 1-0 loss against table-toppers Manchester City. The loss saw the Blues slip further down the table in their efforts to catch up to Man City and mount a title challenge in the second half of the season.
Tuchel explained the reason behind Mount’s omission from the starting lineup at City, claiming he wanted someone on the pitch who could offer a little more running and offensive strength than the Englishman. Mount eventually came on the field with just 9 minutes left on the clock as he replaced a tired Marcos Alonso.
“We thought we could break the line more often with Hakim (Ziyech) as a left foot on the left side and going for Christian (Pulisic) as a right side because of the arrival of Christian in the box. Normally, he is a bit more offensive, a bit more of a runner than Mason and we expected the spaces more behind the last line and not in front of the back four from City.”
Tuchel is clearly a fan of Mount’s abilities, picking him up for most of our games this season. Mount has been one of our standout performers ever since his debut and has rarely put a wrong foot in when he’s taken to the field. The Cobham academy graduate will be disappointed with Tuchel’s decision to drop him at the Etihad, but he is sure to return once again for our upcoming games.
Mount has built up a relationship on the right side of the pitch with fellow academy star Reece James and N’golo Kante, but with James out injured for a while, Tuchel feels that Mason’s influence in games has been impacted as a result. However, we can rely on Mount to have the experience and wisdom to deal with the change, being a senior member of the squad despite his young age.
Despite not starting at the Etihad Stadium, Mount is sure to be regarded as a regular in the future starting XIs as his performances and dedication to the club have made him a fan favourite as well as appreciated by his managers and coaches, both at the club and international level.
Mount is surely ready to come back strong against Brighton later tonight, with an agenda in mind to cement his place in Tuchel’s side. His steely determination to be the best at the club and take on more workload has been great to watch so far, and it is sure to only continue in the near future. And it is obvious that him being disappointed over not starting a big game such as the one against City should be taken in no other way than a positive one.
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