The one Chelsea defender who impressed the most under Tuchel
Thomas Tuchel’s time in charge of Chelsea thus far has been wildly successful. He helped the club secure a top four finish in the Premier League, he made an FA Cup final and he hoisted the Champions League trophy—the second in the club’s history. While he technically made changes to the team’s structure overnight when he took over, it took months to even begin perfecting his system. Nevertheless, the Blues’ defensive solidity became the talk of the town from the moment the German took his post.
A lot has been made about the three-man defense. There have been questions floating around about personnel, longevity and flexibility, amongst other things. Edouard Mendy, Cesar Azpilicueta, Thiago Silva, Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen and Reece James have all deservedly received praise for their efforts, but there is one name that has flown under the radar. Ben Chilwell has been the defender who has impressed supporters the most during Tuchel’s reign.
Ben Chilwell has been Chelsea’s most impressive defender under Thomas Tuchel.
There were questions surrounding Chilwell before he even joined Chelsea. Many supporters wanted to pursue other options at left back because they felt the English defender wasn’t worth his price tag. The club explored transfers for the likes of Alex Telles and Sergio Reguilon as Leicester City played hardball. Eventually, a transfer was agreed upon. He got off to a flying start at Chelsea, but questions were asked once Tuchel took charge.
Chilwell was dropped as Tuchel set his side up in a new formation with experienced personnel. This meant Marcos Alonso was out of the doghouse. A bright start to life under the German saw Alonso play in the biggest matches at that point in time. Chilwell struggled to keep up with the Spaniard, who is widely regarded as one of the world’s finest wingbacks. That didn’t stop him from working his tail off. The English left back by trade eventually regained his place in the team and never looked back. The highlights of his season came on the offensive end in the UCL with a decisive goal against Porto and a pass-to-assist against Manchester City.
He’s been superb on the defensive end, as well. Chilwell was part of fixing a leaky Frank Lampard-led defense that the Blues had for the previous season. The improvements thanks to his inclusion were evident under Lampard, and elevated under Tuchel. His ability to track back on defense with pace is a luxury Chelsea did not have before his arrival. Further, his positional awareness is top notch. There were a lot of impressive defensive showings under the German’s leadership, but none more impressive than Chilwell’s. Now, as Tuchel prepares his side for his first full season in charge, there are no longer question marks on the left side. Regardless of formation (3-4-3 or 4-3-3), Chilwell is the guy at left back or left wingback.
Perhaps the most overlooked fact of all is that the 24-year-old learned a new position in less than a few months. Expanding on that thought, he not only learned it, but he succeeded there on club football’s biggest stage. Chelsea has found its left back for the future. While there may be questions surrounding other defensive areas in recent years, Chilwell will hold down his role for seasons to come.
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Who do you think the most impressive defender under Tuchel was last season? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!