Time for Tuchel to feel the pressure at Chelsea as fans return to earth
The events of the past week have shown that there are no guarantees in football. They have also shown that a manager is only the fans’ favorite when he has the results to show in his favor.
This is the present story of Chelsea as they prepare for their last two Premier League games of the season as well as the UEFA Champions League final against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in Portugal.
The Blues were coming off the back of wins against Real Madrid and Manchester City and suddenly, their fans saw them as favorites for every tie. Well, the past week has also shown how the tide can turn, and how football fans can be brought back to earth.
If Thomas Tuchel hasn’t felt pressure in his entire managerial career, I can bet that he will feel major pressure as Chelsea’s boss. The Blues lost two important games in the past week, and this was made worse as the team chasing them for a spot in the top four gained grounds.
Chelsea lost at home to Arsenal 1 nil in a game where they were favorites to win, considering that their morale had been boosted by victory in two tough games that preceded.
They also lost the FA Cup title to Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester City at Wembley last week in another 1 nil defeat. They will also be facing the Foxes at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday in the Premier League in a must-win game if they want to have the destiny of their next season’s UCL qualification in their hands.
Seeing how Thomas Tuchel started his managerial career at Chelsea on a high, it would be disastrous if the Blues fail to beat the Foxes and start faltering now that the going has gone tough.
The German will surely be under pressure ahead of the game and this is the time for him to show how good he is tactically and management-wise.
The Blues can’t do with doubts at this crucial stage of the season ahead of May 29. They have to return to winning ways in their next two games and not rely on the UCL final victory against Man City as their passport to the competition next season.
After all, folks will fancy Manchester City who are favorites for the trophy. The UCL title has eluded Pep Guardiola since he left Barcelona and this is his first time to battle at this stage of the competition since his arrival at the Etihad.
Therefore, it would take an extraordinary performance to wrestle the title away from them and this can’t be possible if the Blues go into the game in a poor run and under pressure.
The game against Leicester City at Stamford Bridge is a major test for Tuchel and his boys in a game where the latter know that they also cannot afford to lose. Brendan Rodgers and his men will come prepared as they did in the FA Cup final.
Thomas Tuchel! Welcome to the Premier League! The thorough test of your tactical abilities has begun.
