THE OUTCAST STRIKES BACK
Alonso stunner seals Tuchel’s first Blues win
THOMAS TUCHEL did not look like a manager savouring his first victory in a new job as he twisted, writhed, hopped in circles on the spot and let out the occasional howl of anguish. Tuchel cut an agitated touchline presence until the 84th minute, when Marcos Alonso crashed a stylish volley into the roof of the net and finally killed the notion that Burnley might conjure a late goal from nowhere.
The German’s Chelsea team had dominated possession and controlled the game. They had also squandered chances but Alonso’s goal secured the points and lifted them up to seventh.
It will soothe the wounds of another managerial change and lift spirits ahead of Thursday’s derby against Tottenham. For Tuchel, it offered signs of progress after his first week in charge.
‘It gives us a boost,’ he said. ‘It gives us the most confidence. Otherwise you always have to convince players you are on the right track. We were strong and we deserved the win.’
Tuchel praised his back three, his central midfielders and Callum Hudson-Odoi, who is thriving in a new role as a wing-back.
His team are creating chances even if his strikers are not clinical but, on this occasion at least, they were rescued by unlikely heroes.
Cesar Azpilicueta fired Chelsea ahead shortly before half-time, a first goal in a year for the captain.
Azpilicueta sprinted 75 yards from his position on the right of a back three, latched on to a pass from Hudson-Odoi and fired an angled drive high past Burnley goalkeeper Nick Pope.
Tuchel made four changes to the team from his first game, against Wolves last Wednesday.
Alonso’s inclusion ahead of Ben Chilwell at left wing-back was explained by Tuchel as an attempt to get more height into the team, to cope with Burnley’s threat from set-pieces.
Timo Werner was recalled and deployed a little deeper, offering him the chance to burst forward in his preferred inside-left channel. But, still, he could not find a goal. He is a dozen Premier League games without one, and his crisis of confidence was evident when he squandered a fine chance to open the scoring.
Hudson-Odoi whipped a low cross to his feet but Werner, about 12 yards out, missed his kick and the ball skidded away off his standing leg. It summed up his recent form in front of goal.
Pope made comfortable saves from a couple of his low shots and, early in the second half, Werner put another chance straight into the Burnley goalkeeper’s hands.
‘Confidence is not something you can demand,’ said Tuchel of Werner. ‘When he misses the feeling of scoring, no talks, no hugs, no warm words can make up for this.
‘He is not the only striker in the world who is sensitive when he does not score. As long as he lacks goals he will not be 100 per cent, but no problem. We have to bring him into situations where he can be decisive for us. Maybe we need a silly goal to open that up again, a deflection or whatever.’
Werner was in good company as Tuchel vented his frustration. ‘Take a second touch, it’s about precision,’ he screamed from his technical area as Mason Mount skied one horribly over the bar.
Tuchel spun away regularly from the touchline with a flourish, infuriated with decisions taken
on the counter, and dived into serious exchanges with his staff.
Burnley were stubborn as ever without threatening to find the net. They have scored 13 goals in 20 Premier League games, and did not have a shot until James Tarkowski headed over from a corner in stoppage time.
‘It’s not a concern,’ said manager Sean Dyche, who lost striker Chris Wood to a hamstring injury. ‘It’s a very strong Chelsea side. They were excellent in the second half.
‘When they turn up like that, it’s difficult. I’m not going to overly question my players. There was no lack of effort or desire.’
A one-goal lead against Burnley, however, and teams always fear a late equaliser from a set-piece.
So Tuchel was relieved to see the second finally go in from Alonso, in the 84th minute.
This was the Spaniard’s first start since September, when he was hauled off at half-time at West Brom and then frozen out by Frank Lampard, and it was a splendid goal.
Alonso controlled a pass from Pulisic on his chest, took a touch on his thigh and volleyed into the roof of the net with his left foot.
Tuchel, content at last, turned, took a seat on the bench and savoured the final minutes of this first victory as Chelsea boss.
CHELSEA (3-4-2-1): Mendy 6; Azpilicueta 7, Silva 7.5, Rudiger 6.5; HUDSON-ODOI 8 (James 73min, 6), Jorginho 6, Kovacic 6, Alonso 6.5; Mount 7 (Havertz 80), Werner 5; Abraham 5 (Pulisic 46, 7). Subs not used: Kepa, Christensen, Zouma, Chilwell, Kante, Giroud. Scorers: Azpilicueta 40, Alonso 84. Booked: None. Manager: Thomas Tuchel 7. BURNLEY (4-4-2): Pope 6.5; Lowton 6.5, Tarkowski 7.5, Mee 7, Pieters 6; Brady 6 (Mumbongo 76), Cork 6, Westwood 6, McNeil 6; Wood 5 (Gudmundsson 62, 5), Vydra 5 (Rodriguez 57, 5). Subs not used: PeacockFarrell, Bardsley, Long, Stephens, Dunne, Benson. Booked: Westwood. Manager: Sean Dyche 6. Referee: Graham Scott 6.