Thomas Tuchel addressed the media ahead of Chelsea's Premier League clash with West Ham on Saturday afternoon.
Chelsea are looking to bounce back at the first attempt following their dismal 2-1 defeat away to Southampton in midweek despite taking the lead through Raheem Sterling in the first half at St Mary's.
Tuchel added to his team with the arrivals of Wesley Fofana on Wednesday, as well as the signings of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Denis Zakaria on Deadline Day.
Now they turn their attention to on-the-pitch with a London derby against West Ham awaiting the Blues in the re-arranged kick-off that was brought a day forward due to Chelsea's Champions League involvement next Tuesday.
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Seven points from a possible 15, there is still lots to do for the current Champions of the World, and West Ham won't be an easy fixture in west London for Tuchel and co.
Here's what the Chelsea head coach had to say on Friday afternoon in full in his pre-match press conference:
On Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang signing and availability
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“Hopefully he can be that good again. We know very well what we get with Auba and he was very keen to come back to the Premier League. Very happy we could make it happen. Everywhere he plays he delivers goals but more importantly he delivers speed and workrate against the ball so it’s a big package he can bring to our group. That’s why we did it.
“At the moment he cannot train. We have to make sure he gets a mask to protect his jaw. Then we can start to try with a mask next week.”
On Aubameyang discipline
“It was the only incident (once in Dortmund) it was not about time keeping but the rule we set between the matches. He forgot about that rule and visited his hairdresser. I guess that was it! Nothing big, never a big issue. He has a big problem with his time but also he never misses a meeting or something like this. But the 60 minutes to arrive in training before is a struggle sometimes it’s 58 or 59 minutes. Never a concern. He has a top heart, he is a top character. This is how I knew him. I’m 100 per cent sure he will fit into our dressing room. While he was my player he was always positive, never missed a training, was never injured. Hopefully it will stay like this. Happy in a good state of mind, influencing the group in a positive way. This is how I remember Auba, how I felt him when I met him here in London when he was playing for Arsenal. This is what we expect from him.”
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On happiness on transfer spend
“(Broke the transfer record?) Oh really? We can discuss if we over spend or if it is too much money for the players but the players we got are very very good players, very good personalities. Everything was desperately needed to rebuild the group and inspire the group. I think we did excellent signings. It does not help if we talk about the price too much. It’s maybe hard to argue this is way too much money, okay. This is how the market was for us. Maybe we were not in the perfect position to always find the right timing and price. That’s nobody’s fault. The players we got fit perfectly. I am very happy to work with this group.”
On excitement to work with Wesley Fofana
“Very because he is the kind of profile that we identify very early as a replacement for Toni and Andreas. We are very happy that we stayed patient, super happy that Todd and Behdad were relentless on it and never gave up and we managed to fulfil this transfer. Wesley is young, fast, very strong in set pieces, defending and attacking. He was one of the very early targets to replace our guys that left the club.”
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On Denis Zakaria
“My latest information is that we need to work on the work permit. He will not be in the squad for Saturday. That is too close. We hope for Tuesday and then for Fulham.”
On Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Reece James and injury news
“Both are back in training and available. It’s only N’Golo out. Everybody else is in training. A group of 19 players. It will be with Auba and Denis Zaka, will be 21 players plus goalkeepers.”
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On reaction to Southampton loss
“We need to (toughen up). All of us. We will use the end of the transfer period, we will use the energy and stability that gives you when you know which is the group, the players in the squad, who fights for what. We will use this stability we need to grow, build the group and influence each other in a positive way. We will use this momentum. We could see it yesterday and today on the pitch. Was not a lot of training, or intense training because of the two matches in a week. I saw a reaction yesterday, today we have a good session. The cards are on the table. I need to choose a team for tomorrow. From there we go. We will use it as a new start to kick start the season. It is needed. We have our reasons why this is, we need to leave it behind us and not think so much about what is going wrong. We have the chance to start the season new tomorrow, home game with the squad we have and players that are available. I have the feeling everybody is ready to show up.”
On West Ham
“Was a good match of football (West Ham vs Spurs). I enjoyed watching it from both teams. West Ham was very strong. They are what they are, a very physical team. I have the feeling they are a strong group with a good team spirit, a strong group together with the manager. They know what they are. They have periods where they can create huge moments, momentums within minutes. They have periods where they dig in and defend deep with a lot of discipline. Always ready to hurt you on counter attacks with speed and physicality. Then a lot of crosses with Soucek arriving in the box for headers with set pieces where they are strong and physical. They struggled a little bit getting results and growing into the season. They had also some late signings, which injected a lot of quality and personality. Will be a tough derby.
“We need to step up. We have like how many games to go in the Premier League? If we don’t get tough we will get punished. This is not what we want. We will show a reaction that we can do this. It’s proven we can do it with this group. We need to find that spirit, find the right spirit and attitude throughout the matches. This includes me, my staff and the team. We are now at the moment using the momentum that we know who is in the squad. From now on we will show a new face and have to show a new face and toughness.”
On curse of no.9 shirt at Chelsea and Aubameyang
“We hope (he can be a success). It’s now on us to prove it and me to find a position and create enough support for him and on him to finish our attacks and be strong, be on the pitch. I’m not sure if he took the number 9, I am not aware at the moment. If he did I think he is not afraid of the past and what the number means. He is ready to write his own history. If he is brave enough to take the 9, he takes the 9.
On Wesley Fofana character after demanding Leicester and Chelsea moves
“I don’t know enough to judge all the facts. I don’t know about. I don’t have enough information about the situation. Sometimes players have promises, sometimes handshakes, sometimes misunderstandings that lead to these situations. Of course the clubs where it happens never like it, we would not like it. We are not judging from that because we don’t have the whole picture. Wesley to me was very reliable in what he said, was never disrespectful towards Leicester in his words and behaviour towards me and how he acted when we were talking or messaging. He was always very respectful of the situation. He saw a chance for himself and he saw opportunities to convince Leicester and make a point to come to us, to see the benefit for his own person and convince the officials at Leicester. In the very end happened like this. Towards me was very respectful and open person.”
On feeling pressure after loss to Southampton and signings
“Before we talk about challenging for the title we should be ready to challenge West Ham for a win and then we go on. It’s too many losses already. Too may points dropped to talk about big things. Just because the transfer period ended is not the only point in a turnaround. We need a kind of turnaround in this season. I told you many times I think we are a club in transition, paying the price not only in the money for new players but pay a price for the last half a year of insecurity. I think the teams that are dominating the league, getting earlier into their rhythm, are the teams who knew since many months what they want, where they are, the role they play, the role they attack this league. Was not so clear and maybe not so clear until today for us. We have to come from behind because we struggle result wise. We have periods in every game we play okay, periods in every game except for Tottenham where we don’t play okay. We got punished with results. This is where we are. The pressure is on. The responsibility is on me. It’s always like this, no?
On why Chelsea players think they are not playing well
“Yes (discussed it with players) but not too much because I was honestly waiting until today. Yesterday was afternoon training and until 11 at night was the transfer window open. I did not want to engage in these important talks with players who maybe were not 100 per cent committed because they were trying to go out. With me was more important to wait until today. From now on we will do everything to influence this group in the way we want and to sharpen our attitude to a level that is needed to be competitive on a higher level. We believe we can be more competitive than we are at the moment. It’s on us to show. It’s on me to bring it out of the group and then on the players to bring it out on the pitch.”
On transfer period
“It was absolutely turbulent but there was no choice not to do it because the situation was the situation. We were sanctioned, we were very late in the market, we did not know what’s going to happen, what is possible, which player leaves us, which player does not leave us, what is then possible. Of course everybody took this responsibility. The new owners stepped in and did not sleep at all. You can call it a distraction, a shift of focus. Of course it was like this. That’s why I’m happy it’s closed now and the focus shifts completely to the team, coaching and influencing and pushing the team to the limit. There is nobody to blame. No other option than doing it the way we did it. I think we managed to get very good players, very high quality and profile. Good personalities. From now on it’s okay. We need to build this team.”
On Aubameyang
“Auba is always happy to fight for something, to accept the challenge. The more challenges he has the better it is. If he wants to overcome the number 9 curse or show somebody in London he is better than people think, the more the better. He’s up for that and he’s happy. I know him as very focused and very open, a person with an open heart and very happy to be on the pitch every day. This is what we wanted. Very positive influence to any group. He is up for any challenge and he is happy to be on the pitch and score goals. This is what we want.”
On what Aubameyang needs to do to get backing of Chelsea fans
“I don’t know. I imagine that everybody is happy he chose the club in blue now instead of the club in red. I think they will see very early about what he is and is about, using his speed. Not only his speed to score and be selfish but he is very hard working, he always was. He’s the first line of pressing, very strong in counter pressing. He’s ready to work. That’s what made him special in Dortmund when he worked for me, that made him captain of Arsenal. He lifted some trophies there. Just to reduce him on last season when things became difficult, I cannot judge it. It’s very rarely in these situations that it is one person’s problem. It is what it is. I am not there to judge because it is none of my business. I can just tell you how I met Auba and how he was for me, how I met him as a person. I am convinced that he did what he did in any club. He scored and won titles. He has the winning mentality and positivity to be a huge influence in the group.”
Topics: Thomas Tuchel, Chelsea, Premier League, West Ham United