HE’S OUR SHARP EDGE
It’s so hard to drop Mason says Tuchel
THOMAS TUCHEL knows Mason Mount is so vital to Chelsea’s winning statistics he even describes him as ‘The Edge’.
But that is still not enough to earn the England midfielder the answer to the selection dilemma for West Ham today: With or Without You?
On the nine occasions Mount, 22, has started this season, Chelsea have won eight games and drawn at Liverpool.
By contrast, the Blues have won six out of 13 without him in the starting line-up.
But of course Tuchel, below, is aware of that.
“We know about this because it is the kind of statistic that is sometimes most interesting – like who is on the pitch when we win, who starts when we win, who ends the matches when we win,” said the Chelsea manager.
“I first heard about these statistics in American basketball.
“The influence of one player in a five-against-five sport is much higher than in 11-against-11 playing with your foot.
“To have Mason brings a certain attitude, aura and a mentality on the field and it is nice that he has this winning ratio. Full credit to him.
“Maybe it is luck and maybe it is him having the effect of being The Edge.”
Tuchel admits Mount makes it tougher than most to be left out.
He added: “It is very hard to drop him because even if he has not had such a good game we will always get full energy and positivity and a wonderful approach – very passionate and with a deep love of the game.
“That is why Mason is always ready to give everything.”
David Moyes says West Ham supporters were wrong to jeer after their 1-1 home draw with Brighton.
And the Hammers boss claims this is the club’s best chance to reach the Champions League, if they can sign quality players in January. Moyes’ men face Chelsea today with 20 top-flight wins in 2021, their most in a calendar year since 1986.
But that did not not stop a section of fans booing the team off on Wednesday.
Moyes said: “Expectations have risen. There’s also got to be part of that where you say, ‘Wait a minute here, your team is doing really well. Don’t be so stupid’.
“There’s not a person at this club who deserved a boo.”
Moyes wants to spend money next month on players of the calibre of £30million buy
Kurt Zouma and former loan star
Jesse Lingard. He said: “I would like to add quality where you could say, ‘Wow, he’s going to threaten the team’.”