"He deserved to start" - Tuchel hails 'calm' Chelsea youngster for impressive FA Cup showing against Chesterfield
Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has revealed Lewis Hall deserved to start in their third-round FA Cup clash after he impressed in training.
Hall played as a left-sided centre-back in a back three against non-league side Chesterfield and helped his side emerge 5-1 winners.
The 17-year old became Chelsea’s youngest-ever player in the FA Cup after his debut on Saturday, and will hope for more action in the coming weeks.
The youngest player to start an #FACup game for Chelsea! 👏
17 years and 122 days, Lewis Hall. 🔵 https://t.co/dHwhFnI2qV
Tuchel revealed after the game that some of the senior defenders needed a breather. So it was a no-brainer to hand Hall his debut after his impressive displays in training.
"It was his performance in general, his attitude in training and the quality he showed. He was very calm, very good in training in our possession games and small-sided games. He deserved to start. We needed a pause for Toni and Azpi and Marcos in defence. We had three defenders left and he was one of them.
"It is very clear what we demand from the players. The position helps them. It is a very supportive dressing room, with a very supportive attitude from the more experienced players. This is very good for the young boys. In the end they have to step up and show what they are capable of.
"They did good against Brentford, the guys who played, and today they did their best to help us win. There is no need to talk it down, and there is also no need to get super overwhelmed," Tuchel said.
Hall might have an important role to play for Chelsea this season
There are still plenty of games left in the season, especially for Chelsea who are active in as many as five competitions.
The Blues will play in the League Cup next mid-week and then have a clash against Manchester City in the Premier League the following Saturday. They will also feature in the Champions League and the Club World Cup in February.
The Chels. 💪 https://t.co/V1PnlpPyEQ
Progression in the FA Cup hence makes it five competitions, so Tuchel will have to rotate his squad carefully in the coming weeks.
Hall will hope for more opportunities in the coming weeks and might play an important role as Tuchel will have to ensure the players don't get fatigued.