STAMFORD BRIDGE — If at first you don’t succeed, pass, pass, and pass again.
Chelsea faced derision from some quarters last week when posting a video on social media of a 16-pass move against Wolves which ended with a saved attempt. It was just a handful of their 820 passes, a league-high for any club this season, and an early indicator of the Tuchel way.
There were no goals to show for it, though, and while the goalless draw with Wolves felt like the soft launch, Sunday’s game at home to Burnley was the ultimate Premier League initiation, against a side very much the antithesis of what Chelsea are about and how Tuchel aims to move forward stylistically.
Under Sean Dyche, the longest-serving Premier League manager who was meeting his sixth Chelsea boss at Stamford Bridge, Burnley have found the formula for survival since they returned to the top tier in 2016.
Going into Sunday’s match, Burnley were bottom of the league for touches and passes this season, second bottom for shots and goals too, yet crucially they sat 15th in the table with a comfortable cushion above the relegation zone.
Evidently well-drilled and devoted to an approach they signed up for, and also buoyed on from their win over Aston Villa, Burnley made it difficult for Chelsea in the opening exchanges.
Dyche never stopped barking orders from the sidelines, nor did he ever sit down, and as his voice continued to boom around an empty Stamford Bridge, it was captivating to watch when Tuchel would choose his moments to express delight or disgust.
Tuchel made a point to rush out of his technical area and applaud Chelsea’s first half-decent move which resulted in Callum Hudson-Odoi seeing a shot deflect over, but he could not hide his disappointment, first with Timo Werner and then with Mason Mount, when further chances were spurned.
As the first half went on the agitation grew, and so did the animation, with Tuchel beginning to mirror Dyche by prowling the technical area, aware his new side needed his input.
The words of encouragement escalated as the size of the task became more evident. Burnley were bullish, but eventually there were high-fives in the Chelsea dugout when the breakthrough was found in the 40th minute.
It was a sweeping, devastating counter-attack, starting on the left and finishing on the other side when Cesar Azpilicueta, Chelsea’s right central defender, bust a gut to make the overlap and meet Hudson-Odoi’s pass with a first-time effort which deflected into the far top corner.
Azpilicueta. Of all people. Surrounded by summer signings and a wealth of attacking talent, it was the 31-year-old Spaniard, the club captain who is now playing under his eighth Chelsea manager and had looked starved of opportunities given Reece James’ emergence, who scored the first Chelsea goal of the Tuchel era.
An unlikely goalscorer, but it paved the way for a more assured second half where Chelsea dominated and eventually scored their second when Marcos Alonso delightfully brought down Christian Pulisic’s cross with a chest, then a knee, then an unstoppably volley past Nick Pope.
Alonso. Of all people. A surprise inclusion ahead of Ben Chilwell, it was the 30-year-old Spaniard, frozen out by Frank Lampard after a falling out at West Brom in September, who scored the second goal of the Tuchel era.
This time there were 710 passes overall and two unlikely goalscorers to show for it. Who would have bet on Azpilicueta and Alonso? Odds in the thousands, surely, and while there are some Chelsea players who have cost millions and are in much need of a confidence-boosting goal, it was two old hands who handed Tuchel his first win.
It was a reminder, therefore, that the slate has been well and truly cleaned by Tuchel. Azpilicueta and Alonso have emerged from the bench and repaid the faith paid shown to them by a boss who is so far favouring experience.
And it means the challenge has been set to Chilwell, James, and Kurt Zouma too. This trio are among the names who must fight to regain their place, but perhaps this increased sense of inner competition is the ideal stimulant for the entire squad, who must still believe a top-four place is attainable.
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