Why Thomas Tuchel is wrong about Chelsea's midfield
Cameron Smith
- 22 Aug 2022 17:34 BST
- 4 min read
Following Chelsea's shock 3-0 defeat away to Leeds United, head coach Thomas Tuchel has insisted that midfield reinforcements aren't needed before the summer transfer window slams shut.
The Blues were outran and outworked by Leeds, who pressed and harried Chelsea into several mistakes, most notably for the opening goal, in which Edouard Mendy gifted Brendon Aaronson his first Leeds strike.
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Due to injuries to N'Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic, which has been a recurring theme over the past 12 months, Tuchel decided to deploy a double pivot of Jorginho and returning loan star Conor Gallagher to face Jesse Marsch's side - a decision that backfired from the get-go.
The pair were exposed by Leeds' intense press, with Gallagher in particular struggling on the ball.
However, when Tuchel was asked about any potential incomings in the middle of the park to combat the issues faced against Leeds, he swatted away any suggestions that the club needs a new signing in that area.
He replied: "Another midfielder? We have Jorginho, N'Golo Kante, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Conor Gallagher, Mateo Kovacic.
"They're [Kante and Kovacic] injured, yes, it's a problem. But they will come back. They've not disappeared."
However, injury issues for Kante and Kovacic have hampered Chelsea time and time again over the past year, with at least one of them seemingly always side-lined.
The Blues have rarely played their best football without at least one being fit, with many feeling that Kante and Kovacic represent Chelsea's best double pivot in terms of balance - something that is fair given how Jorginho's weaknesses need to be covered for by his partner.
While Gallagher may have been an obvious candidate to help Jorginho against Leeds, given his high-energy style, he was simply too easy to dispossess and looked devoid of confidence when pressed by Tyler Adams.
With the Chelsea midfield lacking any sense of control, Leeds were able to assert their dominance and ensure long passages of Chelsea possession play didn't occur. In the same breath, quick incisive moves as seen against Tottenham also didn't happen, with Leeds suffocating Chelsea inside their own half.
Thomas Tuchel is wrong about his midfield
While Tuchel has insisted that reinforcements aren't needed to bolster his midfield, that couldn't be further from the truth.
It may be true that Kante and Kovacic "will come back" and haven't "disappeared", they simply can't be relied upon fitness-wise. The pair are Chelsea's two most talented midfielders, and their combined absence has a direct correlation to Chelsea being a far inferior side.
Between them, they've missed 34 games through injury since the start of the 2021-22 campaign which isn't good enough. If they're both out then Gallagher or Loftus-Cheek must be turned to and neither of those players are suited to a double pivot role whatsoever.
Loftus-Cheek seems to have found a home as an auxiliary back-up right-wing-back while Reece James is used deeper, while Gallagher simply doesn't suit Chelsea's current system or play-style.
So, while Tuchel has relayed the fact that Chelsea are well-stocked in midfield, they simply aren't.
Jorginho and Kante also have only one year left on their contracts, meaning a midfield reinforcement must be signed before Deadline Day, or Chelsea will struggle to make the top four.
Frenkie de Jong has been linked, and would replace Kovacic fairly seamlessly in midfield, but wouldn't pair well with Jorginho as the two would be quite easy to play through.
Borussia Monchengladbach's Kouadio Kone would be an excellent pick-up, while Declan Rice remains an option, although he would cost far too much money this summer.
Either way, Chelsea need another midfielder, or injuries will once again hamper their season like they did in the 2021-22 campaign.
Read more about: Premier League, Chelsea, Conor Gallagher, Jorginho, Mateo Kovacic, N'Golo Kanté, Ruben Loftus-Cheek
