‘So far off our level in absolutely everything’: Tuchel bewildered by another Chelsea disaster

Safe to say that Thomas Tuchel was none too pleased with Chelsea’s bumbling efforts on Wednesday night, as we laid a nice stinky turd on the well manicured green pitch of Stamford Bridge for all the world (and our prospective new owners, too) to see.

In fact, the head coach warned in no uncertain terms after the game that if we continue playing like we have — not just in this game, but in the preceding 1-4 home defeat to Brentford — we can expect to win a grand total of absolutely [FUNALL] going forward.

“We have to find our level back. I don’t know where it is since the international break. The first half is a repetition of the second half against Brentford in a quarter-final against Real Madrid. So far off our level in absolutely everything the game demands, we can’t expect a result from this kind of performance.

“[There] was enough that we could hurt them but we were so far off our level in everything the game demands: tactically, individually, shape, stiffness in challenges. [And] that is very disappointing because it is a night when you need to be spot on.

“[...] Since the international break, we don’t look the same and I don’t really have an explanation as we were on a long winning streak and were very competitive. [We] didn’t change anything: not from the approach, line ups, or the system. I don’t think there’s a deeper reason for it. It is alarming. In two games, seven goals, but nothing has changed.”

Despite the palpable disappointment, Tuchel made sure to keep the focus on the collective. Everyone made mistakes, including himself, and as ever, only together can we turn it around.

And turn it around we must, and quickly — this tie may be gone barring an historic comeback, but attentions must remain focused on our league position, not to mention the FA Cup trophy still up for grabs.

“I worry more about Southampton than I worry about Real Madrid in the next week. There is my focus. Today, is this [tie] alive? Not with this performance. First of all, we need to play Southampton and if we don’t get our heads straight and mentality right we will not win in Southampton. And then this tie is not alive.

“If things change, maybe, but how many clubs in worldwide football won with three goals difference? How often did this happen? So maybe we should be realistic and should not get fatalistic and think that I give the wrong message. Let’s be honest. We are competitive and need to find our competitive spirit and our quality and then we can hope.”

-Thomas Tuchel; source: Football.London

And there’s no time to waste. Southampton away on Saturday.