Thomas Tuchel
Disappointed with the result?
“Yeah, it was well deserved for all the effort that the guys put in. But I have to say I just walked in the dressing room and told everybody there’s no room for disappointment or doubt. I’m very happy with the performance, we had good intensity and were very structured, we did not allow any dangerous counter-attacks. So we were very well organised, we were brave, we had courage w played as a team, good input from the bench, a very good attitude from the bench that did not come on. A very good spirit. I think the supporters could have helped in all the half-chances for the one decisive moment. Hard work but we never lost intensity and I’m very happy that this was our starting point, and very excited about where we’ll end up.”
“Not much, first of all I see an exciting mix between experienced personalities and talented guys. I see a very demanding league that brings out physically everything in every player. Players totally open to our ideas, beliefs, tactical approach. Where we want to accelerate, the game, close spaces, how we want to defend, attack. This made me feel very, very good honestly because this is what you wish for. This is the level now and we can start working on the details. We can prepare for Burnley and that’s what we’ll do.”
Too far away to challenge for the title?
The title, ooh, far away, we have to be realistic at the same time. When you sign for Chelsea as manager it’s absolutely right you sign for the expectation to fight for title,s PL, CL and cups. It’s absolutely clear, but at the same time we have to be realistic that there are a lot of teams and points between us and fourth. So maybe it’s the best time now to step up in the middle of the season.Don’t lose the focus in looking too far. Stay now and work on a daily basis on details and progression in our game, and points will follow. I’m absolutely sure we have the capacity to hurt everybody in every league and competition and it’s my job to bring evidence of that as fast as possible.
Rapid turnaround for the match?
“Thomas Tuchel on the touchline at Stamford Bridge during his first match in charge, against Wolves. When I look at this game today, I am pretty amazed as I can totally identify with what I did [in training]. I would have liked a stadium full of supporters here and we saw 16 recoveries in the last third which is pretty amazing for the intensity and energy on the pitch. We managed to put the game completely in the opponents half, we managed to stop counter-attacks very early, we created a lot of half-chances. Every minute there were more chances. For every preparation for a game, less is more! This was clearly what happened for this game. I have to say the staff at Cobham gave us a lot of information and did an amazing job of analysing Wolverhampton and preparing the set-pieces for our team. We, of course, had a clear idea where we would put our guys and to start with three at the back to help defend against the two fast strikers so we don’t have a situation where we slip or allow an easy counter-attack away. So we decided on that to have control with three and two double six midfielders. We tried to show where to accelerate, defend and close down spaces. I am very happy with what I saw. I found a team that was totally open to our ideas. This is what we have done for many years, to select formation and when you feel good on the pitch there’s nothing more you can do.”
The owners felt there was something wrong with the team – what do you need to work on, the weaknesses of the team?
“I don’t think there are too many weaknesses, I want to focus on our strengths and focus on the mix of the amazing mix of the team from the experienced players to the big personalities and young and hungry talent. I want to create a special energy and atmosphere that you need to achieve and have the possibility to win every three days in a league like this and I believe that we can do this on a daily basis. Callum Hudson-Odoi sends in a cross against Wolves, under pressure from Rayan Ait-Nouri. What I found yesterday was a very open staff, a very helpful staff that helped me prepare for this game and an open team. It was a totally unfair lineup today because I had no reason to leave anybody out so from now on, it is the starting point and we will absolutely focus on our strengths and the qualities that we absolutely have and build a team that nobody wants to play against. That is the challenge for me to achieve as fast as possible but today, I am very very pleased.”
Saw you with Pulisic at half time, how important will he and Thiago Silva be to get your ideas across quickly?
“Yeah but the funny thing is when you join a team in the middle of the season, I already know the likes of Kai [Havertz], Timo [Werner], Toni [Rudiger], I wanted many years to have N’Golo Kante in my team and now I have him here, also Olivier Giroud, we have a clear picture. I have been following the Premier League for many years both in Dortmund and in Paris so I have a clear picture of what the guys are capable of. To find a guy like Azpilicueta in your office is simply amazing because in the end I am also a fan off football. In Christian for sure I know very well what he is capable of. He had a big, big input, it was an unfair decision for him today to not start, I told him it was only because I know what he can bring from the bench. I am not sure sure what the others can do but I know you can bring things for us and absolutely change it for us. He did amazing and he told me at half time ‘coach, you have been pronouncing the name Azpi wrong’ so he helped me with that!”
