For a Chelsea manager to be thanking Tottenham Hotspur for helping his side scrape into the top four is not ideal preparation for one of the biggest games in the club’s history.
With three defeats in their final four games, it has hardly been the warm-up for the Champions League final that Thomas Tuchel would have wanted.
Nor is it one which particularly inspires confidence as his side prepare to face Manchester City on Saturday.
While Chelsea had 71 per cent possession against a mid-table Aston Villa side and boasted a shots tally of 23-6, they are clearly not firing on all cylinders and finished on the wrong end of a 2-1 scoreline.
There is a lack of edge and a paucity of clinical finishing.
Tuchel was quick to pinpoint the area Chelsea need to seriously sharpen up in.
“We needed many clean sheets to overcome this lack of composure and precision,” said Tuchel.
“We are lucky Tottenham did the job for us. We came to win and to put any doubts to the side and it was not possible.
“We are in the position that it was possible to end up in the top four with a defeat. We need to adjust details and we need to be spot on Saturday if we are going to have a positive outcome.”
Thankfully for Chelsea, Leicester’s tailing off just when it mattered ensured Tuchel’s side clinched a top-four place and ensured their manager’s future for a little longer – maybe even lengthier than his predecessor Frank Lampard got.
But their problems aren’t confined to their attack. Goalkeeper Edouard Mendy was substituted at half-time with a rib injury, which will be scanned on Monday, after he clattered into the upright and was replaced by the unconvincing Kepa Arrizabalaga.
For now, Tuchel’s overriding emotion was relief. “I knew [we were in the top four] three or four minutes before our game was over because the game at Leicester was over a bit earlier and it was clear we were through,” Tuchel added.
“The top four was the main target. We didn’t prepare for the occasion, we prepared for the match.
“It’s normally hard to create chances against Aston Villa but we created a lot. We are still a young team and we try to evolve and make them better.
“We conceded out of nothing and made it hard to come back.”
Chelsea dominated up to when Villa opened the scoring then again after Ben Chilwell pulled one back.
Mason Mount was particularly busy, picking up the scraps Villa left in their defensive third.
Chelsea seemed to target Villa’s left throughout and it was from there they created their first chance, when Timo Werner headed across goal, before Mount twice finished poorly.
Then John McGinn curled a yard wide for Villa, who could count themselves fortunate to take the lead in the 43rd minute.
Bertrand Traoré curled a first-time effort in off the bar from Matt Targett’s low corner.
The visitors went closest to a reply just after the restart when Christian Pulisic’s shot took a wicked deflection off Targett and bounced just wide.
But things went from bad to worse for Chelsea.
Jorginho tripped Traoré for a penalty and Anwar El Ghazi confidently sidefooted the ball to Kepa’s left in the 52nd minute.
Chilwell gave Chelsea hope when he sidefooted home Christian Pulisic’s cross after a one-two with Azpilicueta on 70.
But they finished the game with 10 men when captain Cesar Azpilicueta was sent off in the 90th minute.
Along with the victory, a big plus for Villa – and England, in front of watching national coach Gareth Southgate – was Jack Grealish completing his first 90 minutes since injury.
“I said he’d be ready to play 90 minutes by the last game of the season and we have been gradually building him up to this,” said Villa manager Dean Smith.
from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/3yyhol6
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