Chelsea: Three things to look for in Leicester City round one

2. Reading way too into Thomas Tuchel’s post match Arsenal comments

Tuchel was surprised when he was notified that he made seven changes from the Manchester City match for Arsenal. After the loss, he more or less said it was a mistake making so many changes. So, let’s read way too into those comments.

The players that started both matches include Cesar Azpilicueta, Reece James, Billy Gilmour, and Christian Pulisic. Andreas Christensen was injured so he can be set aside, as can Edouard Mendy given Kepa Arrizabalaga was pointed at as the FA Cup keeper. That leaves the changes of Antonio Rudiger for Kurt Zouma, N’Golo Kante for Jorginho, Marcos Alonso for Ben Chilwell, Hakim Ziyech for Mason Mount, and Timo Werner for Kai Havertz.

Mount can surely be set aside as well given his importance to the team. Jorginho too more likely than not, even despite the absolute horror show he put in for the entirety of the Arsenal match.

Dropping Zouma seems to be a pretty clear one. Even if the goal is 100% on Jorginho (it is), Zouma’s role in the build up to it will have been frustrating. That was hardly an isolated incident as well. Zouma went from the club’s most reliable centerback in a back four to the least suited for back three. It doesn’t bode well for him.

Alonso has been favored over Chilwell less and less as of late, but the reason Alonso was brought back into the side at all by Tuchel had to do with experience. Though Chilwell will want to win silverware over his former club, it may be surprising to see him start.

Kai Havertz hardly covered himself in glory against Arsenal. If anything, he put in one of his worst performances (if not the worst) under Tuchel. Werner may be an immensely frustrating player but he does allow the team to create more chances.

It probably also shouldn’t go unnoticed that Callum Hudson-Odoi had the big post match talk by Tuchel after Manchester City, did not start against Arsenal, came on as a half time sub, and then promptly did nothing at all to encourage Tuchel to change his mind about the player.

Reading into Tuchel’s comments, it seems like the front three will be Timo Werner, Mason Mount, and a toss up between Hakim Ziyech and Christian Pulisic. Marcos Alonso and Reece James will likely flank Kante and whoever ends up playing alongside him which is probably the biggest unanswered question. Antonio Rudiger and Cesar Azpilicueta will likewise flank either Andreas Christensen or Thiago Silva, depending on how fit Christensen is. And of course, Kepa Arrizabalaga starts in goal in what is likely his final match of the season.