Three of Thomas Tuchel’s best moments during his one year at Chelsea

January 26, 2022 marks the one year anniversary of Thomas Tuchel’s appointment as manager. Chelsea fans were unsure of what to expect when the German was tasked with taking over a struggling side last season, but I think I speak for all supporters when I say he has taken those expectations and more than exceeded them. The Blues have enjoyed 12 months of trophies and triumphant victories as they’ve become one of Europe’s true juggernauts. The continued success during this campaign only serves to remind Chelsea that the sky is the limit for London’s finest.

Tuchel didn’t walk into an easy situation by any means—he’s had to work hard for everything he’s won. The former Paris Saint-Germain man didn’t only inherit a team sitting ninth in the Premier League, he faced the grim prospect of winning over a heartbroken fanbase. The Blues faithful were trying to come to terms with their club sacking one of its most legendary figures in Frank Lampard. Nevertheless, there has arguably never been a stronger connection between Chelsea and its fans than over the last year. The supporters have embraced Tuchel as one of their own from day one and it’s been glorious to see the journey the gaffer has taken the Blues on thus far.

There have been many memorable events over the last 12 months, so it’s nearly impossible to narrow this list down to just three. Alas, it’s the job I was tasked with doing. Therefore, without further ado, here are Tuchel’s three best moments at Chelsea during his first year in charge:

3. The wins over Tottenham

Is there a bit of recency bias involved with this decision? Perhaps. Regardless, there was nothing more glorious than hearing cries of “Tottenham Hotspur, it’s happened again” ring out across Stamford Bridge last weekend. Winning is the No. 1 priority for the Blues’ hierarchy and in that subcategory, trophies are of the utmost importance. The second bullet point underneath winning is (unofficially, of course) beating Spurs. There is a reason the Chelsea faithful sings about their hate for Tottenham along to the tune of Liquidator before every match at home. The Lilywhites are one of the club’s fiercest rivals, so winning games against them is a necessity for any manager.

Nobody understands this more than Tuchel.

The odds have been stacked against the Blues since the end of November. Injuries to key players and a spike in COVID-19 cases resulted in a huge downtick in form. Chelsea has struggled to beat even the most ordinary opponents along the way as fatigue continues to take a toll on everyone. For this reason, when the Blues were drawn against Tottenham in the Carabao Cup semifinals, there was understandably a sense of unease amongst fans. Former Chelsea manager Antonio Conte—a serial winner—had just taken over Spurs too, which only added to the tension. Tuchel knew he had to deliver in the three matches against Tottenham in a difficult January period that also included games against Liverpool and Manchester City, the only sides higher in the table.

Deliver he did. The Blues did what they do best with their backs against the wall: they won. Tuchel’s tactical masterclasses (yes, -es!) helped guide the struggling side through each contest. Chelsea booked its ticket to Wembley Stadium (a.k.a Stamford Bridge North) and gave itself a bigger cushion in the Premier League top four. Tuchel made it four wins in four against Spurs this year. Barring a bizarre fifth potential match-up in the FA Cup’s latter stages, the Blues have finished the season scoring eight goals against their biggest rivals, while keeping a clean sheet across 360 minutes of competition.  This is a small victory in the grand scheme of things—this isn’t Tottenham, after all, trophies matter—but one worth celebrating nonetheless.