Tuchel requires a strong performance and a victory at a venue where neither has occurred since 2017. There are concerns about Chelsea under new ownership; will the Blues be able to keep Champions League football as their rivals strengthen? Will Tuchel make it through the season if things go wrong? How much of an influence will the World Cup have?
Even though Thomas Tuchel may be feeling frustrated over transfer deals and an uncomfortable pre-season, his demeanor in the pre-match news conference did not suggest so.
He brushed aside extraneous pundit queries and looked to be interested in explaining plans for his new players.
Although history is against the Blues in this fixture, the talent on paper clearly isn’t, and Tuchel and the new Boehly government are keen to quiet naysayers as soon as possible.
Marc Cucurella’s move has recently seemed a little like the Hokey Cokey, with rumors of a sum being agreed on Wednesday evening only to be denied by Brighton.
Marc Cucurella was revealed as a new Chelsea player on Friday afternoon, immediately after Tuchel’s news conference, with teenage defender Levi Colwill moving the opposite way on loan.
Tuchel raised concerns about the sharpness of Ben Chilwell, who is still regaining match fitness following a knee injury, so the speedy wingback was registered in time to play on Saturday.
Marc Cucurella’s move to Chelsea has made him the most expensive left-back in history, Brighton’s biggest-ever sale, and the third-most expensive Spanish player of all time.
It is a remarkable transfer considering he had a Burnley shirt in his hands a year ago.
Last summer, Cucurella, and his agents visited Burnley’s training ground as they were, along with Brighton, one of the most proactive clubs in trying to sign him from La Liga side Getafe.
Cucurella was pretty satisfied with his tour. He believed a Premier League move was the step his career needed. Burnley’s offer was slightly higher financially, but Brighton won the race.
A positive playing style, led by Graham Potter, played a key role in Cucurella heading to the south coast. Another of the main reasons was a promise the player’s camp felt was made in Brighton.
Marc Cucurella’s transfer to Chelsea has made him the most expensive left-back in history, the most costly sale in Brighton’s history, and the third-most expensive Spanish player of all time.
Given that he was wearing a Burnley shirt a year ago, this is a spectacular transfer.
Cucurella and his representatives paid a visit to Burnley’s training complex last summer because the club, along with Brighton, was one of the most aggressive in attempting to buy him from La Liga side Getafe.
Cucurella was quite pleased with his tour. He thought that a transfer to the Premier League was the next stage in his career. Although Burnley’s bid was somewhat better in terms of money, Brighton won the race.
Cucurella’s move to the south coast was aided by a positive playing style headed by Graham Potter.
Kai Havertz atonement?
This is Kai Havertz’s season. With Romelu Lukaku out, the £71m man will need to improve his consistency and demonstrate that he can be trusted to provide the impact and engagement that his skill demands.
Havertz was quickly pushed out of this game in April and moved to the outskirts at a time when his squad urgently needed inspiration. Although Raheem Sterling adds Premier League talent, Havertz must start quickly if Tuchel hopes to see an improvement in the final third.
Havertz joined his first club, Alemannia Mariadorf when he was four years old. His grandpa Richard was the club’s long-time chairman, and some think he passed on his own talent for the game.
After spending most of his time at Mariadorf in age groups two years above his own, he joined Alemannia Aachen, the region’s largest club, in 2009, at the age of ten. They were a Bundesliga 2 team at the time, and Kai was a frequent supporter.
N’Golo Kante at his best?
“He’s our Mo Salah, Van Dijk, and Mbappe.” Tuchel lavished praise on N’Golo Kante in May, following a period of poor performances and uncertainty over his future given the duration of his contract.
Despite missing the US tour owing to his vaccination status, the midfielder’s performance against Udinese was exceedingly promising, hammering home the opening goal after a bursting run and displaying the transformational qualities that have made him such a game-changer.
First, he must achieve those levels in crucial games, and then the concern will be how Tuchel manages him in light of his several physical setbacks since 2019.
