Chelsea told Tuchel has planted grim seed amid warning something ‘not right’

Thomas Tuchel

Pundit Micah Richards has warned that something about Thomas Tuchel’s recent appointment at Chelsea “doesn’t feel right”.

Blues owner Roman Abramovich showed his ruthless streak once more earlier this week by sacking Frank Lampard.

The Russian took his tally of deposed managers under his tutelage to 10, with Tuchel signing in his place.

The former Paris Saint-Germain boss has arrived at Stamford Bridge with a squad some managers could only wish for; after hefty recent spending, the likes of Kai Havertz, Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech are yet to reach their full potential.

But ex-City defender Richards has questioned Chelsea’s decision to appoint the German coach.

“Chelsea have appointed Tuchel because they want to win the Premier League and Champions League again. I struggle to see that happening with him,” he wrote for the Daily Mail.

“What have Chelsea seen in Tuchel that convinces them he will outwit Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp over the course of a 38-game season?

“I’m glad he was realistic in his opening press conference to say they had no chance of winning the title this year but why should that change in 2022?

“I’m absolutely not writing Tuchel off, but something about his appointment doesn’t feel right. If you look at Klopp, for example, you could see Liverpool had a plan and were ready to see it through.

Thomas Tuchel targets Champions League and FA Cup: 'Premier League title is unrealistic'

Thomas Tuchel targets Champions League and FA Cup: 'Premier League title is unrealistic'

Thomas Tuchel has ruled Chelsea out of the Premier League title race but says he has aspirations of winning the Champions League and FA Cup this season.

“If Tuchel’s plan for Chelsea doesn’t work, it will be the same old story and another one will bite the dust.”

Elsewhere in his column, Richards claimed that Tuchel’s first lineup as Chelsea manager has sounded alarm bells.

Mason Mount and Tammy Abraham, two of the Blues’ most exciting young players under Lampard, only came off the bench in the 0-0 draw with Wolves on Wednesday.

Right-back Reece James, meanwhile, did not feature at all.

Tuchel has planted worrying seed

Thomas Tuchel Chelsea - graphic by PA Sport

“What Tuchel did by not including Mount and James — and let’s not forget Tammy Abraham, who had scored a hat-trick against Luton on Sunday — has put the thought in some people’s minds that Chelsea are going to abandon the faith they had recently shown in young players,” Richards added.

“If you are left out of a team because you haven’t been good enough or someone is better than you, it stings but you can deal with it.

“When you are left out without real explanation, it is hard to stomach.

“Whatever Tuchel has said to Mount and James in recent days, they will still feel a sting.”

Meanwhile, the manager has spoken about Werner’s form, the striker struggling for goals of late.

Read more…