Thomas Tuchel worried about 'unexplainable' Chelsea problem as Real Madrid reminder is delivered
Thomas Tuchel is worried about the number of "unexplainable" individual mistakes made by his Chelsea players in home defeats to Brentford, Real Madrid and Arsenal but insists his squad must not play with fear as they attempt to secure a third-place finish in the Premier League.
The Blues produced a chaotic performance on Wednesday night against Arsenal at Stamford Bridge, and it resulted in the Gunners running out 4-2 winners. The defeat was Chelsea's third in succession at home in all competitions, and in those matches, Tuchel's side conceded a remarkable eleven goals.
West Ham United are next up at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, and Chelsea can't afford another slip up in the Premier League. They currently sit third in the table and hold a five-point advantage over Tottenham Hotspur, which can't be allowed to close during the season run-in.
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"At the moment, we have nothing to lose, there's nothing to lose," the Chelsea head coach stated emphatically during his pre-match press conference. "There is always the excitement to win something, to achieve something. That hunger should always be more than the fear of losing something.
"I'm worried about the number of mistakes, of course. In this game [against Arsenal], they were crucial. The goals were strange that we conceded. We concede far more goals than we allow in expected goals since the international break. In the year 2022, we already had eight big mistakes that led to goals. This is very untypical, very unusual – or maybe it is now typical for us.
"But it's strange, and it costs us a lot. It costs not only a goal, but it costs [a player] self-confidence and belief in what