Tuchel needs Mendy to be his lucky general again
CHELSEA 2 WEST HAM 1
PERHAPS it was inevitable, given the record-breaking standards Edouard Mendy set, that they would be near-impossible to maintain.
The start of Chelsea’s Champions League campaign against Dinamo Zagreb tomorrow is a timely reminder of those levels, but also the at times unbeatable, unflappable last line of defence they could do with Mendy returning to.
Just six years after he was on the dole and thinking he had no future in football, Mendy had risen remarkably up France’s football ladder to earn a 2020 move to Chelsea.
Signed to compete with Kepa Arrizabalaga, Mendy did much more than that, replacing him as the club’s first-choice and bringing some much-needed order to a position that had become unsettled.
Mendy helped Chelsea win the Champions League in his first season, keeping a record-equalling nine clean sheets along the way.
He was then voted goalkeeper of the year for 2021 by both UEFA and FIFA after keeping 27 shutouts and conceding just 34 goals in 51 games. However, Mendy is currently enduring a period of aura-denting slips which are coming with consequences.
Head coach Thomas Tuchel said: ‘Somebody sent me an interesting quote about Napoleon who asked his generals that they should have the best quality but he (also) needs lucky generals. This is what you need also from goalkeepers and that they have the kind of momentum that if they do a little mistake it’s not punished.
‘At the moment he gets punished a lot for not a lot, of what he does wrong.’ West Ham’s visit was a good example. Their goal came after Mendy pawed away a header but only to Declan Rice who teed up scorer Michail Antonio. Later Mendy attempted to bail Reece James out but in doing so, only pushed the ball out for Maxwel Cornet to score. Mendy should have plenty of credit in the bank but that may not be endless. Waiting in the wings is Kepa, who remains after a rollercoaster time at Chelsea and not securing a summer move away.
Tuchel, who wanted Kepa to stay, said: ‘He’s absolutely ready to play. So it’s on us if we give him the chance or not, it’s on us, but he is 100 per cent ready how he behaves, how he trains is very good. ‘There are no doubts in my mind. The situation is calm. We have two fantastic goalkeepers. We are aware of it that he (Mendy) is in that kind of situation but first we deal inside and then we tell you.’ Chelsea’s comeback, inspired by Ben Chilwell who scored the equaliser then set up the winner, was creditable but papered over the cracks a little. Mendy returning to his assured best will at least ease any concerns Tuchel has in goal.
CHELSEA (3-5-2): Mendy 6; Fofana 7, Silva 7.5, Koulibaly 7; James 7, Gallagher 6.5 (Broja 60min, 6.5), Loftus-Cheek 6.5 (Jorginho 83), Kovacic 6 (Havertz 72, 7.5), Cucurella 6.5 (Chilwell 72, 8); Pulisic 5.5 (Mount 60, 7), Sterling 7.
Scorers: Chilwell 76, Havertz 88.
Booked: Loftus-Cheek, Cucurella, James, Havertz. Manager: Thomas Tuchel 7.
WEST HAM (4-2-3-1): Fabianski 7; Coufal 7, Zouma 7.5, Kehrer 7, Emerson 7; Rice 7.5, Soucek 6; Bowen 6.5, PAQUETA 7.5 (Ogbonna 83), Fornals 5.5 (Cornet 86); Antonio 7.
Scorer: Antonio 62.
Booked: Antonio, Kehrer.
Manager: David Moyes 7.
Referee: Andrew Madley 4.
Attendance: 39,923.