Thomas Tuchel is having trouble coming up with solutions to Chelsea’s problems as their season took another hit with a dismal loss against Southampton.
Sportshebron examines five of the major issues that Tuchel and Chelsea are now dealing with.
1. Need A Goal Scorer
Chelsea has a large number of talented players on their team, all of whom are capable of producing significant scoring opportunities. However, the match at St. Mary’s Stadium demonstrated more than ever how desperately they need a striker to convert those opportunities.
First-half scoring chances for Mason Mount, Raheem Sterling, and Hakim Ziyech were all missed. However, until Sterling’s goal for Southampton, none of them were able to threaten Gavin Bazunu.
2. Aerial Struggles
Southampton geared up to attack Chelsea as much as they could in the air, which may come as a surprise for a team known for their modern style of play.
The Saints also used a long throw to create havoc in the Chelsea box, which the Blues struggled to stop.
3. Tuchel Is Still Looking For The Ideal System.
Tuchel decided to stick with the four-man defense that helped his team defeat Leicester on Saturday. But Southampton had a lot of offensive joy while the Blues appeared far from their natural selves.
Chelsea looked very open at the back despite having a lot of energy when moving forward. The guests were repeatedly forced to hurry back, while the hosts had numerous significant opportunities of their own.
4. Ineffectiveness Off The Bench
Tuchel used four of the five substitutions as allowed, but none of them had the desired effect on the proceedings. Ruben Loftus-Cheek was first substituted by Mateo Kovacic despite the Croatian having trouble getting going.
With 24 minutes left, the Blues manager made three changes, causing the visitors to change to their customary 3-4-3 configuration. Again, though, it did little to spark a change in the circumstances, with Southampton the superior team throughout the second half.
5. Mendy Problem
Tuchel, who has Kepa on the bench, is quite concerned about his difficulties between the sticks. If Mendy’s troubles persist, the Chelsea manager may need to think about starting the Spaniard.
