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Thomas Tuchel has had better days in his now one year at Chelsea
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MIchael Zemanek / Shutterstock / imago images / Shutterstock
The Christmas trees are still standing in many English living rooms, but the race for the championship in the English Premier League has practically already been decided.
On Sunday the first two pursuers from Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool parted ways, 2-2.
The fact that City has now rushed away is not due to the top game, which was a "brilliant football game," as Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel said with admiration.
It is due to the defending champion's outstanding form and his own fluctuations in performance.
“Our games recently weren't particularly lucky.
We have too many ties, ”said Tuchel.
After dividing the points at Stamford Bridge, coach Pep Guardiola's team has ten points clear of Chelsea and eleven of Liverpool.
The German has been working at Stamford Bridge for almost a year.
He gave the team, which was defending headlessly under his predecessor Frank Lampard, structure and order in record speed and led them to win the Champions League.
The current season was also very promising until the beginning of December.
In time for his anniversary, however, Tuchel has real problems at Chelsea for the first time.
And that on all levels.
Personnel misery also due to Corona
The feeble sporting appearances last - there were draws against Everton, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Brighton - are the result of a remarkable staffing misery. Seven players were missing from Chelsea after a corona infection, including Timo Werner. More professionals are injured. Among other things, the important full-backs Ben Chilwell and Reece James are out longer.
Because of the emergency, Tuchel complained loudly about the traditionally full game schedule in England around Christmas and complained that no consideration was being given to the health of the professionals.
The Premier League clubs decided against interrupting the season, although the league recently reported more corona cases than ever and the list of canceled games is now so long that nobody knows when they should be rescheduled.
According to his own admission, Tuchel is currently coaching at random: »I don't know what to expect from my players.
We just have to see what we get.
How are we going to play for the title like that? ”He said recently.
Problems with the record transfer
Least of all does a coach need rebelling professionals in such situations, but that is exactly what Tuchel is up against. Record transfer Romelu Lukaku, who came from Inter Milan for 115 million euros before the season, has just complained to "Sky Italia" about his situation at Chelsea and brought Tuchel against him.
The coach deleted the Belgian attacker from the line-up for the game against Liverpool and announced a meeting for Monday.
"Rome D-Day" was the headline of the "Sun", for which the Second World War is suitable as a benchmark for everything.
A pardon for the semi-final first leg of the league cup on Wednesday against Tottenham Hotspur seems just as possible as a permanent banishment of Lukaku.
“We'll sort this out behind closed doors.
When we have made a decision, we will announce it, ”said Tuchel.
He tried hard to appear relaxed about Lukaku around the Liverpool game, but it should annoy him that after less than a year at Chelsea he is struggling with the same attitudes of his stars that he already had at Paris Saint -Germain had made life difficult.
After all, Tuchel seems to have the club's backing with his current employer.
The team also takes the coach's side.
This is indicated by the fact that Chelsea scored one point against Liverpool after a fast two-goal deficit.
But that will not be enough to make Manchester City contest the championship.
The club could use a title for economic reasons alone: it has just reported a loss of 170 million euros for the past financial year.
