Thomas Tuchel has steadied the ship at Chelsea. Unbeaten in his first 10 Premier League games – with four straight clean sheets – the Blues are now among the favourites for a top-four spot – but one issue remains.
Up front, Chelsea are still struggling for goals. It is a problem that helped bring an end to Frank Lampard’s reign at Stamford Bridge and Tuchel’s side have netted just 13 times in the 12 matches he has taken charge of. Their latest blank came in a disappointing 0-0 draw at Leeds on Saturday.
At Elland Road, Chelsea’s best chance of the afternoon came when Leeds defender Luke Ayling slammed a clearance into team-mate Diego Llorente, with the ball coming off the bar. It highlighted the Blues’ inability to create their own chances.
Thomas Tuchel is unbeaten in 12 games as Chelsea boss – but his team is struggling to score
The west Londoners have netted just 13 times in the 12 matches Tuchel has been in charge
Tuchel has done a lot right at Stamford Bridge. The defence look solid and have conceded just twice in the league since the German’s appointment. No Premier League manager has seen his side concede less in their first ten games in England’s top-flight.
But at the top end of the pitch, Sportsmail takes a look at five possible options which could allow Tuchel’s Chelsea to finally start scoring again.
STOP TINKERING AND GIVE HAVERTZ A PROPER RUN
Tuchel’s record-equalling start to life at Stamford Bridge has been impressive, partly due to how often he has rotated his starting XI.
The German has made 39 changes so far this season and no Premier League manager has made more in their first ten games in charge.
Tuchel (right) has tinkered with his Chelsea side 39 times since he joined – more than any boss
Tuchel is famed for tinkering with his side on a game-by-game basis, but it could be one of the reasons why they are struggling for goals. The different personnel across Chelsea’s front three means there are very few opportunities for strikers to get a proper run in the side to develop form.
Tuchel’s first match saw Olivier Giroud start in the central striking role, but the two games after that saw Tammy Abraham, then Timo Werner, begin through the middle. The three have rotated since then, before a new figure comes in.
Kai Havertz is currently the central figure in the front three, having started in the last two games. If Tuchel’s start at Chelsea is anything to go by, it will only be a matter of time before the £89million signing ends up back on the bench or pushed out wide.
Kai Havertz (left) is still without a goal in 2021 but is starting to show some promise up front
But Tuchel would do well to remember that the 21-year-old has struggled with a new league, poor form under Lampard and coronavirus since joining from Bayer Leverkusen – and that his promising displays in Chelsea’s last two games should be a sign of encouragement, despite the lack of goals.
The German assisted both of the Blues’ goals against Everton last Monday – forcing an own goal and being brought down for a penalty – and only a fine stop from Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier denied him a first Premier League goal in 2021. Havertz is warming up, now is not the time to be rotating him regularly.
Atletico Madrid await for Chelsea on Wednesday night in the Champions League last-16 second-leg. Havertz should be given the chance to get on the scoresheet to build on his recent displays.
GIVE HUDSON-ODOI MORE CENTRAL FREEDOM
At first glance it looked like Callum Hudson-Odoi would be used as a wing-back in Chelsea’s 3-4-2-1 formation, but Tuchel may be tempted to use the England international in a central role behind the striker given his recent displays.
Against Everton last Monday, Hudson-Odoi played on the left-hand side of Havertz, but the onrushing runs of wing-back Marcos Alonso meant the 20-year-old was pushed inside the pitch more.
Callum Hudson-Odoi benefited from a more central role against Everton last Monday night
The Chelsea man was a nightmare for Everton’s central midfielders, who struggled to deal with the direct running he produced through the middle.
It was this pace and power that played a major role in Everton dropping deep for Chelsea’s first goal, with Hudson-Odoi feeding Alonso down the left with Havertz’s shot going in off Ben Godfrey and past Jordan Pickford.
The youngster’s influence continued in the second period. A similar move saw him make a deep cross for Havertz who fired into the net, only for VAR to rule out the goal for handball.
The Blues rotated for the trip to Leeds, giving Hudson-Odoi just 11 minutes to affect a match that was hurtling towards a goalless draw. If the England international had started, the Blues may have had more promise in the final third.
BRING GIROUD BACK IN FROM THE COLD
Life must be so frustrating for Giroud at Stamford Bridge. He’s comes into the Chelsea team, scores, then is left out again.
The 34-year-old was barely given a look-in by Lampard in the opening eight weeks of the season and by the time the former Chelsea boss relented and allowed Giroud’s goals to improve his side, the writing was on the wall.
Olivier Giroud has been left on the bench for Chelsea’s last three Premier League games
Under Tuchel, Giroud has been given chances but has started just once since his stunning bicycle-kick winner against Atletico Madrid at the end of February and has been left as an unused substitute for the Blues’ last three league games.
Havertz should keep his place in the central striking role but Chelsea’s next five games are set up nicely for Giroud to start from the get-go – they are all against sides who are likely to sit deep.
Tuchel’s Blues take on counter-attacking outfit in Atleti in midweek, before facing Sheffield United in the FA Cup quarter-finals at home. After the international break, Chelsea have league matches with West Brom, Crystal Palace and Brighton.
The Frenchman has started once since his acrobatic winner against Atletico Madrid last month
Giroud is a nightmare to defend against in the area so may be useful in Chelsea’s next games
The west Londoners will be tasked with breaking down each of those teams, meaning there is little space in behind for Timo Werner and Havertz to operate.
Giroud has been a nightmare in the penalty area against deep defences throughout his entire Premier League career, meaning the quintet of matches will suit him nicely.
When the Blues take on sides with a high line, such as Liverpool or Arsenal for example, Giroud will not be necessary.
KEEP TRANSITIONING FROM BACK THREE TO FOUR
After 11 games of Tuchel’s famed 3-4-2-1 formation, Saturday lunchtime’s clash at Leeds was the first indication of Chelsea shifting towards a back four system.
Christian Pulisic was often caught too high up the pitch to be considered a wing-back in the front three, and Cesar Azpilicueta got forward in his usual manner at Elland Road.
Tuchel may find that a back four would free up a space for another attacking midfielder further up the pitch, which could add to the Blues’ creative options.
Tuchel first showed signs he could use a back four in Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Leeds
Chelsea certainly have the personnel to do this. The likes of Mason Mount, Werner, Hudson-Odoi and Havertz can play in any of the front four positions, which could help Tuchel’s side become more unpredictable and adventurous in the final third.
The Blues’ London rivals Arsenal found this out the hard way when the Gunners scored just one goal from open play between the start of October and the middle of December – a run of seven Premier League games.
Gunners head coach Mikel Arteta abolished the back-three system Arsenal used and introduced the likes of Emile Smith Rowe and Martin Odegaard into the first-team picture – and the north Londoners’ performance levels have improved since.
ALONSO OVER CHILWELL
If Tuchel believes his trusted 3-4-2-1 system is not working, then perhaps another change in personnel is required. One area where he could make changes is the left wing-back role, which has been contested by Alonso and Ben Chilwell.
Alonso, who was exiled by former boss Lampard before Tuchel’s arrival, has been brought back into the fold and has rewarded Chelsea’s new head coach with some promising displays.
Chelsea are far more dangerous when Marcos Alonso (right) plays over Ben Chilwell (left)
Alonso scored in Tuchel’s first home match against Burnley and set the standard for Chilwell to follow with a superb run-out against Everton last week.
The 30-year-old played a crucial role in the Blues’ first-goal and nearly got in on the act himself later in the first-half – only a stunning save from Jordan Pickford denied Alonso’s one-on-one after some impressive running from deep.
Chilwell was tasked with replicating that display against Leeds on Saturday but the England international failed in his stand-in appearance.
The 24-year-old struggled to impact the match and gave the ball away regularly in his 90-minute spell. Chilwell’s passing accuracy stood at just 65 per cent at the full-time whistle – his second worst out of any of his 20 league starts for Chelsea.
Tuchel’s Blues have also shown they score almost three times as many goals when Alonso is on the pitch compared to Chilwell.
Chelsea’s new coach may study the front three as a potential room for improvement in the final third, but perhaps his left wing back or left back role is where some of the answers lie.
