Tuchel happy with ‘very good first step’ but Chelsea must stay on the hunt ‘week in, week out’

The 2021-22 season is off to a perfect start, with winning the Super Cup, bringing back Romelu Lukaku, and dispatching Crystal Palace yet again (eighth time in a row) to start the Premier League campaign with three goals and a clean sheet.

There’s not much more we can ask for, but we’re not the head coach. For Tuchel, this is just the first step of many, all of which will have to be nearly as perfect if we are to live up to our ambitions and intentions this season.

“As the number four [we] have to close the gap to three, two and one and this is where we are. [We] are in the role of the hunters and we need to get to Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United. We need to do this week in, week out and this was a very good first step. Well deserved.

“We are not shy to say this out loud that we try to be the best in any competition we play but the reality is that we came in fourth place [last season] and we have to close the gap.”

Is it too early to start the one-game-at-a-time mantra? Probably not. It is the only way we can really approach the season — or any season: ignore all the noise and focus on the next game, and focus on the things we can control and improve.

“We can still improve in the last third, we have to get a bit calmer and more clinical still. Will not stop pushing and looking for solutions. It is a very complex game and a very demanding league. We have to take what we can get. Next Sunday against Arsenal will be another tough challenge.

“[Now] it is on us to keep calm, work hard and reach the highest level on a permanent base. [We] have to hunt the others from day one. This is the mentality with which we want to play. We are never shy to fight for best outcome possible.”

-Thomas Tuchel; source: Football.London

Get enough of those best outcomes, and we just might fulfill our glorious purpose.