Chelsea: Three lessons learnt as right shade of Blues win the undercard

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Chelsea’s German head coach Thomas Tuchel (R) and Chelsea’s Scottish midfielder Billy Gilmour (L) celebrate on the pitch after the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on May 8, 2021. – Chelsea won the game 2-1. – 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 Laurence Griffiths / 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. / 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 LAURENCE GRIFFITHS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) /

2. Points to prove have to be proven

Christian Pulisic caused a stir earlier in the week by being a bit agitated over his benching against Real Madrid. He was right to be. He had beat them like a drum the week before, was rested versus Fulham, and then still lost a place. He came on and got an assist as he played with an edge.

The thing about comments like that, however, is you have to back them up in the next game too. Pulisic didn’t. He’s not alone in having been brought back in and having a poor game. Hakim Ziyech was quite poor too, despite his goal. Marcos Alonso also struggled despite his goal.

Thomas Tuchel has mentioned that players coming in as subs have to show they deserve to play more. If they don’t, subs they shall remain. Look no further than the likes of Billy Gilmour or Callum Hudson-Odoi for doing what was asked.

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Gilmour played fine against Fulham last week though he looked as rusty as he was. Hudson-Odoi has been in the cold for weeks now. But Gilmour was trusted against the best team in the country and he didn’t wilt. He rose to the challenge and played very well. Hudson-Odoi came off the bench and laid down his marker too, something Tuchel seemed keen to point out at the FT whistle as he made a point to go to him.

Chelsea has a big squad and not everyone is going to play all the time. When they do play, however, they need to show they deserve more. They can’t do that on occasion, it has to be every single time. Tuchel is unlikely to do mass rotations like this again until top four is secured and some players went a much longer ways towards finding a spot than others.

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