Revealed: Why Reece James got angry with Hakim Ziyech in shocking 1-0 defeat to Dinamo
In the post-game analysis, it will be mostly forgotten—and rightly so that Chelsea actually got off to a strong start in Zagreb yesterday night. The offensive combination of Raheem Sterling, Kai Havertz, and rookie Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang worked well together, and the Blues were occasionally able to get by the Dinamo Zagreb defense.
However, no goals were scored, which has turned into a discouraging pattern in the early weeks of the campaign. Even more so when it is remembered that Tuchel’s team provided very little in the way of a real attacking threat before Mislav Orsic darted past the Chelsea defense and finished beyond Kepa Arrizabalaga.
“It was the story of the last few games,” the Chelsea head coach accepted in his post-match press conference. “We start okay for 15/20 minutes but then lacked determination, precision, and maybe even lacked the smell of blood. We had a number of deliveries and a number of spaces, and a number of ball wins that should be by far enough to have far more attempts. But we did not.”
Reece James and Ziyech got clashed during the game:
Tuchel tried to shake things up as the game progressed. He introduced Hakim Ziyech at the interval but the 29-year-old produced an erratic display. Ziyech’s second-half performance was summed in stoppage time when he fired a free-kick into the wall and then repeated the process moments later – and much to the frustration of Reece James, who was prepared to take the set-piece.
Further-more, Armando Brojaand Christian Pulisic were given time in the second period but neither were able to make telling contributions as Chelsea struggled to find a way through a disciplined and resolute Dinamo defence. The lack of invention, of repeatable attacking patterns that result in chances, was evident once more and something Tuchel has to change.
“It’s for me to find the solution and find the reason why,” said Tuchel. “Obviously, they are underperforming individually and I don’t really know where this performance today comes from. A lack of determination, a lack of hunger and a lack of intensity to actually do the things that we need at the highest level. We are clearly not where we want to be.”
Hopefully things turn around to good in this Chelsea team..we have to support them!