https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2022/01/15/
tuchel-explains-why-kante-and-kovacic-are-so-crucial-to-this-che
Tuchel explains why Kante and Kovacic are so crucial to this Chelsea group
15 Jan 2022
If an important part of the story of Chelsea's past six weeks has been
players missing through injury or illness, then there are two Blues in
particular whose absence Thomas Tuchel believes has had a major effect on
our title prospects.
https://i.imgur.com/BbllGrV.jpg
The boss spoke yesterday about some of the reasons why he thinks
Manchester City have established a 10-point lead over us ahead of today's
game at the Etihad.
Key players missing for sustained periods was a significant factor, not
just because of what they can offer on the pitch but also their influence
in the dressing room. Tuchel expanded further on that by citing the cases
of Mateo Kovacic and N'Golo Kante, who have been hampered by injury and
illness since November.
'If you have players out like Mateo and N'Golo, and they share their work
with Jorginho on the very highest level in the middle of the pitch, then
you miss the core of your team,' he said.
'They are so important in the way they come to training, the way they push
everybody and the way they are positive. The key players, the top, top
players, behave the same way every day. No matter if they have to rest one
game, or if they have personal differences, or if they have to fight,
their experience and attitude is right. They know what it takes to
overperform consistently.
'They push everybody to the limit because they push themselves all the
time to the limit. NG is doing this without words. He does it by example,
and makes everybody see what the benchmark is. Kova is doing it with words
and attitude and a lot of empathy. There are many more like this.'
Tuchel notes the continued disruption has forced so many changes to his
starting XIs from week to week, with in-game injuries leading to further
alterations. The consequence of this, he says, is that the Blues have
missed the 'intuition, understanding and fluidity of movement' teams
require to maintain consistent results.
That has damaged our title challenge with Man City in pole position to
retain their league crown. What our hosts today have yet to manage,
though, is a triumphant Champions League campaign. Our victory in Porto
last year stopped them at the final hurdle, and Tuchel considered if it is
harder to win the league than Europe's elite competition.
'Both are very difficult, and they are very different,' he stressed. 'The
Champions League is more like a tournament. You have knockout games, you
need a bit of luck in the draw and with injuries. It is about momentum in
weeks. It is the toughest tournament you can play in the world, and the
Premier League is the toughest league.
https://i.imgur.com/lfiHaIf.jpg
'I don't know if you can compare it if it's so different. I have 100 per
cent desire to win the Premier League with Chelsea. I would be furious
with myself if we didn't try. We will not hide from the fact this is the
goal.
'On the same side, once you achieve it you want to have it again. We will
never be relaxed, we are competitors, we do it to win in the right way
with our values and our belief, and it's a pleasure to be in the middle of
it.'