“What I like about this Chelsea squad”- Tuchel reveals
Thomas Tuchel indeed inherited a large squad from Frank Lampard. A number of players were expected to leave the club either on loan or a permanent exit in January, but Tuchel’s appointment ensured that they all stay to impress the new boss.
For Tuchel, he has admitted that having options is very necessary as he can’t play with only 12 or 13 players.
He said in his press conference ahead of facing Newcastle: “I think three is not too much for two positions. It then hopefully becomes a difficult decision because that means that everybody is on board, everybody is available. If we have difficult decisions to make then everything is good. Then it is my job to manage them and it is my job also to trust the guy from the bench.
“It is impossible to achieve our goals with 11, 12 or 13 players, so to have the three guys for the two positions is a big gift for me. At the moment to have a fourth guy like Billy Gilmour is absolutely necessary at this kind of level, with what we expect from us and what the supporters and the club expects from the team.”
Tuchel has also admitted that he loves the atmosphere in the Chelsea dressing room, as he senses a strong bond between the players.
He went on: “So we need exactly this kind of quality and I’m not worried about the management because I feel a group that is strong.
I feel the bond between the players. We have to prove that we are a strong group when things become a bit difficult, but so far I feel a very good atmosphere and it’s my job to manage that and to create it in a special atmosphere and with a special bond between the players. They can still be competitive with each other, but we need to be allies and we need to be close and we need to understand that this is a team effort.”