Wing-backs deliver...again
Far too often this season, Thomas Tuchel has walked into post-match press conferences and faced questions about Chelsea's lack of ruthlessness in the final third. Last night after the Blues' 1-1 draw with Leicester City was no different. His side had yet again failed to capitalise on a number of opportunities.
"It's a bit of a broken record: we did not take what we deserved," the Blues head coach said. "We didn't allow them anything, no transitions, no chances. We got punished by a shot from outside the box but created enough to win. So I am fine with the performance."
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Tuchel opted to freshen up his frontline against the Foxes. Mason Mount, who missed the crucial penalty in the FA Cup final shootout defeat to Liverpool on Saturday, was taken out of the side and replaced by Hakim Ziyech. Romelu Lukaku and Christian Pulisic kept their places.
Chelsea registered 20 shots against Leicester and Kasper Schmeichel was kept busy. Yet Lukaku spent much of the game on the periphery. There was one first-half opportunity created for the Belgian by N'Golo Kante, but Lukaku took too long to get his shot away and the chance was spurned.
Tuchel offered encouragement to Chelsea's club-record signing and midway through the opening period, he yelled the striker's name twice and suggested he drop off the Foxes' centre-backs to try to get on the ball. That proved difficult, however, with Brendan Rodgers' defenders camped on the edge of their penalty area.
As has often proved the cast this term, it was left to the Blues' wing-backs to unlock the door. Reece James was the creator as he lofted a wonderfully-weighted pass to Marcos Alonso and the Spaniard – at fault for James Maddison's opener – finished with a superb volley.
Chelsea could and should have won the game in the second period. Chances were created but not taken. Christian Pulisic was guilty of missing the biggest opportunity having been found unmarked inside the Leicester penalty area by Lukaku, who himself glanced a header wide.
"It's the story of the season," admitted Tuchel, "we need an assist from a wing-back and a goal from a wing-back. You can see the numbers of our offensive players and the numbers [of the offensive players] from the teams that are in front of us. Still, today is the day that we secured third place."
Time for youth
Newcastle United's win over Arsenal on Monday night meant there wasn't a great deal riding on last night's clash at Stamford Bridge. But Tuchel went very strong with his starting XI and also named a bench that was full of senior experience if not true top-level quality.
It was a no-risk approach and resulted in Chelsea securing the point they needed to guarantee a third-place finish in the Premier League. Next up is Watford at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. It's the final game of the campaign and there is nothing for either side to play for. So it's the ideal opportunity to hand a few youngsters from the club's academy a place in the squad – at the very least.
There feels very little point at this stage in Tuchel naming Kenedy and Ross Barkley among his substitutes. Neither are likely to be at Stamford Bridge next term. The same argument could be made for Malang Sarr, although the Frenchman did prove a stop-gap at left-back earlier in the campaign.
Tuchel has talked a good game when it comes to the academy since he took charge and he has watched Under-18s and Development Squad matches this season. Yet it's only by creating opportunities and finding minutes for younger players that a belief will remain as to a first-team path being open at Chelsea.
Without that, talented players will move on. And the Blues don't want to be losing any more homegrown stars given the likes of Fikayo Tomori, Marc Guehi and Tino Livramento have all departed in the past 12 months alone.
A transfer decision awaits
This season hasn't been easy for Kante – and by extension Chelsea given the importance of the Frenchman. Injuries and fitness issues have become a recurring problem and it's something that Tuchel admits has impacted his side's ability to compete at the very top level against Man City and Liverpool.
"He is our Mo Salah, he is our Van Dijk, he is our De Bruyne. He is simply that player, he is our Neymar and Kylian Mbappe," Tuchel said. "He is that guy who makes the difference, and if you only have him for 40%, then it is a huge problem. Given that percentage, it is maybe a miracle that he produces results.
"It puts everything into perspective as I saw Liverpool without van Dijk last season, and they struggled heavily. You see the difference. N'Golo is our key player, and we need him on the pitch.
"Last year, in the last five matches of the Champions League, he got the [man-of-the-match] trophy. I mean, they almost handed him the trophy before the match. It was like this. This guy who gets man of the match in every Champions League game, he is only here for 40-something percent of the matches. This is huge for us.
"We do everything to solve it. Of course, he as well. I don't blame him, it is just a concern and a fact that we miss him a lot because he brings something that is unique in world football, and he has that ability to lift everybody up and make that difference. This is the challenge for him and for us."
Kante's contract at Chelsea expires in the summer of 2023. Whether he is offered a new deal is down to the consortium led by Todd Boehly that is buying the club from Roman Abramovich. Given his various fitness concerns, that would be a gamble. But as Tuchel stated, when fit Kante is a genuine game-changer for the Blues. So a difficult decision awaits.
