COVID RULE REVIEW IS A BIT WEIRD, SAYS TUCH
THOMAS TUCHEL has dismissed the Premier League’s plans to change Covid postponement rules during the season as “a bit weird”.
A review by the Premier League board of the rules – first
established last season – will be put to the clubs this week and, if agreed, are likely to come into effect on February 8.
Such a rule change during a season will see the integrity of the competition questioned once again.
Tuchel said: “It would be a bit weird. It’s a bit awkward to look at the table and find teams that have played six games less than some others.
“When you look into it since November, how many games we played, how many days we had between all these matches you’ll find that we’re not making excuses.
“We have proof that we are fatigued, and nobody else has had a programme like this.
You simply can’t compare each team to others.”
And Tuchel admits he let himself get a little too emotional during Chelsea’s 1-1 draw with Brighton on Tuesday night.
Now the German is focused on doing much better against Tottenham this afternoon.
Even if that won’t be easy in a London derby and with another hothead — one he admires greatly — bouncing up and down in the next technical area.
“There is no doubt I am a big fan of Antonio Conte,” said Tuchel, whose side have already met the Italian’s men twice this month in their victorious two-legged Carabao Cup semi-final.
“It’s always clear it’s an Antonio Conte team.
“They always play with a desire to win, always with a huge physical input and a relentless style — and he is like this on the touchline. It doesn’t affect so much my coaching. You always need to find a good mix between emotions and a cool head – and this is on me, like it is for the players.
“It’s important to know what the game means to the supporters, it’s important to know what it means in the table, but you cannot get carried away by emotions.
“For example, on Tuesday, we got a little bit on the other side, too much involved in emotions like frustration, anger or disappointment.
“When you play a derby like this or against an emotional guy like Antonio Conte, you cannot just play from pure emotions.
“I wish that I will be cool in the decisive moments.”
Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku will help his boss keep a clear head if he can find the target against a manager he loved playing under at Inter Milan.
The Belgian striker and Conte (left) had a great rapport and Tuchel, unsurprisingly, has spoken with Lukaku about the Italian and looked at the way he played under him in Italy, in a bid to get the best out of the star at Stamford Bridge.
Tuchel added: “That’s not rocket science. We had a pretty clear picture of what Romelu can offer us — and we can clearly improve on that.”
After today’s clash, Tuchel and his men will have a well-earned rest before they return to action for their FA Cup fourth-round clash with Plymouth on Saturday week.
Tuchel said: “What we have played from November up until this game is simply huge.
“And when you struggle at the same time with long-term injuries and Covid, it is almost a no-brainer that you cannot reach the same level that you are used to reaching. That’s why we struggled.”