Loss a wake-up call for Chelsea
TUCHEL: BLUES MUST TIGHTEN UP AHEAD OF CUP FINAL
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel said his side’s 1-0 defeat by Arsenal on Wednesday was their own fault and a “wake-up call” ahead of a huge end to the season.
Tuchel’s side would have all but sealed a Premier League top-four finish with a win, but instead are now looking over their shoulders after a poor performance.
Emile Smith Rowe’s first-half goal settled the London derby after a defensive mix-up by the hosts in which Jorginho’s wayward backpass was scrambled off the line by Kepa Arrizabalaga but Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang teed up Smith Rowe to score.
“Totally our fault, nobody else’s. We lost, it’s totally our responsibility. We had huge chances. We made an own goal more or less – total gift,” Tuchel said.
“We weren’t on the pitch with the same energy, it wasn’t easy to come up with the intensity and passing. We weren’t sharp enough and didn’t have the same hunger and attitude as we’re used to playing with. So it’s on us.”
“It was maybe too many changes from the last match and I take full responsibility for that. Maybe it’s the last wake-up call for all of us.”
With an FA Cup final tomorrow against Leicester City, Tuchel made a number of changes to his starting lineup.
It resulted in only a third defeat in 26 games in all competitions for Tuchel and left Chelsea in fourth spot in the Premier League with two games to play.
They are six points clear of West Ham United who have three matches left and seven ahead of Liverpool with four.
“I felt it a little bit coming in training and I’m a bit unlucky that it’s proven today on the pitch. I regret... we could have, we could have, we could have but we didn’t,” Tuchel said. “The choices were not so good from my side for the lineup. This is on me. We were unlucky. We can lose in football.
“I’m not happy with my lineup. There were too many changes and I shouldn’t have done it like this. It was something in particular but I don’t want to tell you.”