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Chelsea: Three things to look for in Champions League dress rehearsal

By Travis Tyler

Manchester City's Spanish midfielder Rodrigo (L) vies with Chelsea's US midfielder Christian Pulisic (R) during the English Premier League football match between Chelsea and Manchester City at Stamford Bridge in London on January 3, 2021. (Photo by Andy Rain / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by ANDY RAIN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Manchester City's Spanish midfielder Rodrigo (L) vies with Chelsea's US midfielder Christian Pulisic (R) during the English Premier League football match between Chelsea and Manchester City at Stamford Bridge in London on January 3, 2021. (Photo by Andy Rain / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by ANDY RAIN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) /
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MADRID, SPAIN – APRIL 27 Christian Pulisic of Chelsea celebrates after scoring their side’s first goal during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final First Leg match between Real Madrid and Chelsea FC at Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano on April 27, 2021 in Madrid, Spain. Sporting stadiums around Spain remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN – APRIL 27 Christian Pulisic of Chelsea celebrates after scoring their side’s first goal during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final First Leg match between Real Madrid and Chelsea FC at Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano on April 27, 2021 in Madrid, Spain. Sporting stadiums around Spain remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images) /

2. The “harsh” choices

Tuchel has spoken about “harsh” lineup decisions before. Basically, he has to pick the freshest players in the best form that suit the match the best. All three boxes ticked equals a start. Sometimes, a player has all but that last box ticked and that is when the harshness comes in.

When the lineup was announced against Real Madrid, many were asking where Christian Pulisic was. After all, he had been rested against Fulham and he beat Real Madrid like a drum a week prior. The answer is that Kai Havertz got a brace, linked up well with Timo Werner, and is taller for set pieces. Pulisic had to settle for the bench.

It was played out to be Havertz or Pulisic but the reality was it was Pulisic versus any of the front three. Tuchel doesn’t seem to make a great distinction between those front three players so whoever the weakest link starting is the one keeping the players on the bench. That would be Werner, not Havertz, but Werner’s linkup with Havertz was too good to ignore.

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There is another side to this too. Sometimes players that get benched and come on as a sub have a point to prove. Pulisic certainly did with his performance after coming on and the implications of his post match presser. That is a very tricky, and often dangerous, needle to thread for a manager. In this case, benching Pulisic fired him up even if it angered him. That won’t be the case with every player.

That will play out against Manchester City too. If Pulisic again fails to start, there will be serious questions asked. At the same time, can Tuchel afford to bench Werner and risk his rising form falling back to its previous depths? What of Havertz who is showing he is the team’s only reliable goal scorer now? Hakim Ziyech or Callum Hudson-Odoi who could both have “Missing Person” posters up around Cobham? And of course, Mason Mount will start, though he is long overdue a rest.

It is a tricky situation. Tuchel has gotten many of these decisions right so far, but the margin for error is razor thin and very costly.

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