[ad_1]
Now this was more like it. Chelsea had control and creativity, playing crisp and inventive football once César Azpilicueta scored the first goal of the Thomas Tuchel era. Tuchel’s team had a clear idea in attack and combined it with impressive off-the-ball discipline, ensuring that Burnley did not manage an effort on goal. James Tarkowski sent a deflected header in injury time.
After the stifled presentation against the Wolves last Wednesday, it felt like the true beginning of Tuchel’s reign. There was an advantage in Chelsea’s dominance of possession, typified by Azpilicueta’s fluid goal-scoring movement, and a tactical coherence rarely evidenced with Frank Lampard. Callum Hudson-Odoi shone in tandem with Mason Mount, the defense worked well and the feeling that something was forming was underlined by the second goal from a player who had faced Lampard.
It was a fantastic goal from Marcos Alonso, culminating an impressive comeback at the Spaniard’s side and ensuring that the scoreboard reflected Chelsea’s superiority. “When they show up and play like this it’s very difficult,” said Sean Dyche. The Burnley manager was impressed with Chelsea, who are seventh. Dyche spoke enthusiastically about the pace of his pressure, the speed of his counterattacks, and his praise for Tuchel made the rush to judge the German after his first game – that boring draw with the Wolves – seem even more ridiculous.
“It was a very complete performance on defense and offense,” Tuchel said. “We had to be very strong against a lot of long balls. You have to fight for the second ball. He was always an active defense, we were never passive. At the same time, we never lost patience with the ball. “
It’s no surprise that Tuchel is still working out the best way to utilize his equipment despite winning his second game. Once again, he made changes while looking for the perfect combination in his 3-4-3 system, revisiting his three forwards after hard-hitting displays from Hakim Ziyech, Olivier Giroud and Kai Havertz against the Wolves. Tammy Abraham came in as center forward, Mount returned in a free right-wing role and Timo Werner started as left inside forward, a role that brought out the best in him at RB Leipzig.
The intention was to move Werner away from the touchline, working in tandem with Alonso, who had the first start since he was sacked when Chelsea were 3-0 down at halftime against West Brom last September. The inclusion of the latter was evidence of Tuchel’s propensity to surprise, not to mention his desire to give everyone opportunities.
While Lampard was unimpressed with Alonso for returning to the team bus without permission after being pulled in the draw with West Brom, Tuchel was ready to use a player who divides opinions within the fanbase. It’s not about winning popularity contests. There was a logic to picking Alonso, who is more comfortable on the left back than Ben Chilwell, who attacked well and his height helped Chelsea contain Burnley’s set pieces.
The first lesson with Tuchel, who rested Ziyech, is to expect the unexpected. “If we can find the starting 11 that will guarantee us to win 20 in a row, I’ll be very happy,” he said when asked if he intends to keep his opponents guessing by altering his system from game to game.
Tuchel’s tactical brain is always buzzing and speaking on the touchline. Scientific in approach, he values coordinated movements and learned rhythms. But his players are still absorbing the ideas of their new coach. Chelsea started slowly and Tuchel spent a lot of time slapping his thighs annoyed when movements failed, with Werner’s lack of confidence obvious at times.
Quick transitions were needed to open Burnley, who is eight points above the bottom three. Tuchel kept calling for more urgency and his instructions were finally heeded in the 41st minute. The play began with Jorginho threading a pass to Mount, who received possession midway before turning and diving into space. Mount ignored Tuchel’s call to push the ball to the left, instead looking to the opposite flank for Hudson-Odoi, who played a disguised pass for Azpilicueta, arriving as Trent Alexander-Arnold and finishing as Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Fiver: sign up and receive our daily soccer email
Azpiliceuta’s outburst from the right side was a sign of the fluidity that Tuchel longs for. The captain’s goal lifted the tension and Chelsea hit Burnley in the second half. Hudson-Odoi was always a threat from the right side, hitting the post with a deflected effort. Christian Pulisic, instead of Abraham, was rejected.
Chelsea killed the game with seven minutes to go, Pulisic poked the ball into the middle for Alonso, who controlled with his thigh and then his knee before volleying Pope with his left foot. Time goes by.
