Thomas Tuchel admits he made a mistake risking Romelu Lukaku against West Ham United
According to Chelsea’s official website, Chelsea manager, Thomas Tuchel has admitted that it was his fault to risk Romelu Lukaku against West Ham United as he is yet to regain his full fitness.
Having rejoined the club from Inter Milan, the Belgian started the season well and showcased enough optimism to suggest he would score oodles of goals. While he only scored four goals and assisted one in 14 games, he was gradually picking the pace.
However, an injury in October saw him sidelined for a few games. He made his much-awaited return to action against Manchester United earlier this month and has since continued to feature for more minutes since.
Even though the former Inter Milan player was back in the team and has been taking part in training sessions, he is yet to achieve complete match fitness. Tuchel was slowly preparing Lukaku for his comeback by putting him on the field for a few minutes, gradually increasing it to ease him back in.
However, an unfortunate event obliged the German manager to go against his better decision against West Ham. Blues star, Kai Havertz was left in discomfort after a challenge from Kurt Zouma. The injury pushed the manager to substitute him in favour of Lukaku. It has been a call that Tuchel has since begun to regret.
Tuchel admitted he made the call to play Lukaku despite being aware that he was not completely fit. While the Belgian saw out the game, he failed to find the back of the net in what was eventually a losing cause.
“It’s my fault. I don’t think he is ready for 45 minutes physically, but still, we decided to bring him on for his height because we lost Kai.”
Tuchel goes on to suggest that it was ultimately a tactical decision that forced his hand on Lukaku. Thankfully he has not reinjured himself and will now live to fight another day.
“Kai had a crucial role in defending set-pieces, which is a huge threat from West Ham, so this is on me. I took the decision, so it’s my responsibility.”
The Belgian player became a top striker in the world after his incredible goal-laden run last season with the Nerazzurri. He is yet to achieve a similar feat with Chelsea this season. However, he has proved how important he is for the Blues.
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Tuchel was pushed to play Havertz out of position in a more central role during Lukaku’s absence. However, it was not an ideal solution for a top team competing for the title. Thus, the complete recovery of Lukkau has become an essential factor in Chelsea’s ambitions.