Thomas Tuchel believes that Chelsea’s pre-season loss to Arsenal was a much-needed wake-up call for his side.
The Blues fell to a 4-0 defeat during their final match of their United States tour, with Tuchel furious about the result.
His side ended the pre-season with victory over Udinese, easing the German’s concerns as he brought in Marc Cucurella from Brighton and Hove Albion ahead of the new season.
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Chelsea now travel to Goodison Park for their first match of the season, facing Frank Lampard’s Everton at 5:30pm on Saturday evening.
They will be hoping for a strong start, facing Tottenham Hotspurs on the second game week in a London derby.
Speaking to Chelsea’s official website regarding his criticism of his side in comparison to Arsenal.
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He said: “When I said that Arsenal seemed more ready, I speak with my words – they were more ready. They played in pre-season with more or less the same starting 11.
“They had one or two signings to complete their group and they had a clear idea of what they want. From there, they had a team to build and of course also an atmosphere and attitude. We suffered against them but there were reasons we were not at this point, which we have to accept.”
The German continued to label the match as a ‘wake-up call’, admitting that it was a tough match for the Blues.
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“The race is on now. It was kind of a wake-up call but it was tough to admit and to see,” he continued .
“Maybe, it got our heads clear and our expectations right and to understand where we are and to start from scratch.
“My feeling, and the team’s feeling, is that we don’t have to be ashamed, we have to be clear we know there is a lot of work ahead.
“It’s about being really focussed and serious step by step.
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“We should not have too many expectations of how things should be from the very start because Raheem (Sterling) has only played one match for 90 minutes, and Kaildou (Koulibaly) as well.”
The pair are likely to make their first competitive starts for the Blues, while Cucurella has been registered in time to also feature at Goodison Park.
It remains to be seen as to whether Chelsea will enter the market for further reinforcements with the Premier League season now underway.
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Tuchel’s side have been heavily linked with a move for Leicester City defender Wesley Fofana, who looks the most likely to join the club before the end of the transfer window.
Topics: Chelsea, Thomas Tuchel, Premier League, Arsenal, Football
Nick Emms