Thomas Tuchel apoplectic after refereeing errors deny Chelsea the win over Spurs

Never mind the sideshow against Antonio Conte, which apparently resulted in both managers getting red carded after the final whistle. Thomas Tuchel’s real beef, and rightly so, was with yet another absolutely incompetent refereeing display at a Chelsea Premier League game, yet again by Anthony Taylor (with the retired Mike Dean doing his ‘Weekend at Bernie’s’ impression on VAR).

Both Spurs goals followed baffling decisions by the officials, with the first coming after a clear foul on Kai Havertz went uncalled (even the Spurs player himself stopped!) and Richarlison standing offside in the path of the eventual shot also overlooked, and the second coming after a blatant hair pull (a la Robert Huth’s “sex-masochism” on Marouane Fellaini) didn’t result in a red card for Cuti Romero. Even if the corner then would’ve still gone ahead (the incident may have happened before the previous kick was taken), the state of play might have been different.

Sure, Chelsea could’ve finished a few more chances, but two goals are normally more than good enough for a win. Except of course when you have to overcome much more than just the opposition and your own mistakes.

Tuchel wasn’t in the mood to sugarcoat his anger at the officials.

“We were absolutely brilliant. Both their goals cannot stand. Absolutely cannot stand. There’s only one team who deserves to win and that’s us and I’m sorry to my team that they didn’t get the result they deserved.”

“There was a clear foul on Kai Havertz in the build-up. Clear foul. We had one tactical foul from Reece James: got straight yellow. I don’t know how many tactical fouls Højbjerg and Bentancur did today. Nothing happened.

“Clear foul on Havertz, and the situation goes on and on. And it’s a clear offside from Richarlison. He’s in the line of the shot, and he even goes to the ball. He doesn’t touch the ball [but] Édou cannot see the ball. They check it; it’s clear offside!

“And when can we pull hair on a football field?”

-Thomas Tuchel; source: Sky & Sky

And now we wait for the inevitable fines for Chelsea and Tuchel because we’ve got to protect the supposed integrity of the game that’s being undermined on the daily by the stunning and persistent incompetence of the officiating. Best league in the world, innit?

Just to recap, because it’s impressive how clear these decisions should be, especially with video review.

Foul on Havertz (going through the player, from behind, to get the ball):

Richarlison offside:

Cucurella getting taken down by his hair: