‘Soft, soft, soft’ Blues need to toughen up – Tuchel
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Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel says his side need to “go and show a different mentality” after being beaten by Southampton at St Mary’s.
The German manager criticized “soft, soft, soft defending” in what was the Blues’ second defeat in their first five Premier League games this season.
Raheem Sterling put the visitors ahead but Romeo Lavia and Adam Armstrong responded as Southampton won 2-1.
“It’s not enough to play 20-25 minutes at the level we want,” Tuchel said.
Chelsea’s other defeat also came away from home in a 3-0 humiliation by Leeds at Elland Road last week.
“It’s too easy to throw us off balance, beat us, confuse us,” Tuchel told Match of the Day. “It’s too easy. It happened against Leeds. We have to understand why and find solutions.
“We lose concentration, we lose our plan and we lose consistency, it’s too easy to beat us.
“You can always lose football games and I’m humble enough to admit that, but in a game where you’re in the lead you don’t have to give away half chances. Not having answers in the second half was disappointing.
“We have to have answers, we have to step up and play at a higher level if necessary. We fought to do that.”
Tuchel also bemoaned Chelsea’s injuries, with defender Reece James missing out through illness.
He was also without N’Golo Kante, while Mateo Kovacic continued his comeback coming off the bench in the second half when he replaced the injured Ruben Loftus-Cheek. Conor Gallagher was suspended.
“We’ve started well in almost every game, but obviously we’re struggling with our focus and consistency in games,” Tuchel added to BT Sport.
“It’s hard for us to find answers and find our way back if things don’t go our way.
“I don’t know if worry is the right word. I absolutely don’t like losing, it’s the second time this season and I don’t think it takes much to beat us and I don’t like that.
“We try to win games and the way we do that is something we have to understand as quickly as possible. I also don’t understand why we are in this situation with injuries all over the midfield.”
Tuchel continued: “Soft, soft, soft defence. No punches. Just toughen up as a team and show a different mentality.
“I don’t like to talk about it normally because you can’t prove it with the data, the body position or the tactical position of the defeat. But that’s how it is.
“Both goals are cheap goals, soft goals and they shouldn’t happen if you expect to win a Premier League game, a night game and an away game.
“With our demands and the ambitions we have, it’s even more important if key players are missing that we have to show a different mentality: it’s too easy to get off the court, it’s too easy to win challenges, it’s too easy to intimidate us. .”
