IT was an odd evening for Chelsea at Bramall Lane.
The Blues got all three points against Sheffield United, but the game very much had a feel of being a tough Champions League semi-final match.
Thomas Tuchel continues to have that winning feeling – but it could be even easier to achieveCredit: AP:Associated Press
In reality it was against a bottom of the league Premier League side.
Thomas Tuchel is now unbeaten in four matches for Chelsea, three of those wins, but it was actually his trusted and reliable centre-back Antonio Rudiger that made the win very difficult.
In fact ironically, Rudiger has become the first player to score against Tuchel since the German took the reigns.
His trusted compatriot scored the weirdest of own goals to put Sheffield United back in the game at 1-1, when it actually looked much easier to just clear the ball.
This sums up the oddness of the game, and the oddness of Tuchel’s starting line up.
He went with his usual 3-4-2-1 but it really seemed to lack any real creativity.
Olivier Giroud played in the hole but he looked uncomfortable and unfamiliar there.
Tuchel is a tactical genius, so of course he will have valid reasons for that.
Mason Mount and Jorginho scored the goals that set Chelsea on their wayCredit: PA:Press Association
But Giroud is a target man, a very good target man at that, but nothing more than that to be honest. This formation made him look poor.
I believe that the game would have been much easier if Tuchel had a more creative option playing in that position.
But apparently there weren’t any available – with the likes of Christian Pulisic and Kai Havertz not even being named in the squad.
Callum Hudson-Odoi came on for Giroud in the second half and it changed the emphasis of the game, Chelsea became a bit more comfortable and won it 2-1 in the end.
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Chelsea were dealt a blow in farcical circumstances when Antonio Rudiger poked past his own keeperCredit: AFP
But once again the visitors were left hanging on at the end for a second game running.
And it makes you feel that Tuchel really needs to find a way to win matches more convincingly – and earlier on – to avoid these situations.
It wasn’t Timo Werner’s fault this time, he played very well and created both goals for Chelsea, with a good assist for Mason Mount and winning a penalty.
But they really need to start putting together performances that will make them a lot more comfortable in matches.
Of course, the three points are all that matters and helps Chelsea climb up the table even more, this is what is essential for them right now and the German boss is doing the job.
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Sheffield United vs Chelsea as it happened
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
