LUCKY IN GLOVE
Tuchel: Mendy’s a keeper 2 1
Mendy ............................................ 4 Silva ................................................ 6 Fofana .............................................. 7 Koulibaly ........................................ 6 James ................................ 7 Gallagher ........................................ 6 Loftus-Cheek ................... 6 Kovacic ........................................... 6 Cucurella .......................... 6 Pulisic ............................................. 6 Sterling ........................................... 6
Broja (Gallagher 61) ........................ 7 Mount (Pulisic 61) ........................... 6 Havertz (Kovacic 72) CHILWELL (Cucurella 72)
Jorginho (Loftus-Cheek 83)
Fabianski ........................................ 6 Coufal ............................................. 6 Kehrer ............................... 7 Zouma ............................................. 7 Emerson ......................................... 6 Rice ................................................ 8 Soucek ............................................. 7 Bowen ............................................. 7 Paqueta ........................................... 7 Fornals ............................................. 7 ANTONIO ........................... 8
Benrahma (ANTONIO 74) Ogbonna (Paqueta 82) Cornet (Fornals 85)
THOMAS Tuchel was prompted to reference Napoleon when asked about the prospect of dropping calamity keeper Edouard Mendy.
Even before Mendy’s shocker in Saturday’s controversial derby victory over West Ham, many were wondering if it was not time to give Kepa Arrizabalaga another chance.
The once error-prone Spaniard has been pretty much perfect whenever called upon by Chelsea in the Tuchel era and it is very hard to imagine he could perform as poorly as Mendy is right now.
A slack punch from the Blues current No.1 led to Michail Antonio’s opener for the Hammers at Stamford Bridge.
And then only a truly pathetic VAR intervention, for a supposed foul on Mendy by Jarrod Bowen, allowed him off the hook as Maxwel Cornet’s late equaliser was ruled out.
Despite the obvious mess made of diving to gather the ball, Tuchel refused to criticise Mendy.
Instead the German coach claimed: “It’s a very sensitive position in football in general. And it’s not everything that’s just pure quality and about decision-making. clear with him, directly to him, that I want him to stay. He is absolutely ready to play. It’s on us if we give him the chance or not, but he is ready, in how he behaves, how he trains.”
Removing Mendy from the spotlight for the Champions League trip to Dinamo Zagreb tomorrow must be a distinct possibility. failed to win DAVID Moyes has
Prem any of his away against matches as a manager against no Chelsea (D7 L11), he played other side has the road against more on in without ever winning the competition. (inset) (below);