Thomas Tuchel confirms 4 Chelsea stars will miss Wolves clash
Chelsea will be without four first-team players for Saturday afternoon's Premier League clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers at Stamford Bridge.
Following a patchy run of form which has seen the Blues pick up just four points from a possible 12, Thomas Tuchel's side will be desperate to ensure their qualification for next season's Champions League.
Chelsea are currently third in the league, just three points above Arsenal and five points ahead of fifth-placed Tottenham. They will come into the game off the back of a 1-0 defeat against relegation-threatened Everton last time out.
Todd Boehly’s bid have been incredibly impressed with Tuchel, they will look to talk to him quickly and tell him their vision, it’s been a sticky patch of results but Tuchel has become Chelsea’s ambassador through all this and they’ve been hugely impressed. ( @Matt_Law_DT ) https://t.co/PjLG9yq632
In his pre-match press conference, Tuchel gave an update on the injury status of his players, including midfield duo N'Golo Kante and Jorginho. He also provided an update on long-term absentees Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ben Chilwell.
The German boss said via Football.London:
"For N'Golo, it comes too early. Jorgi is out. Callum is still out and Ben Chilwell is out. That is pretty much it."
Kante was absent for the defeat at Goodison Park while Jorginho was brought off injured at half-time in the clash. Hudson-Odoi is still recovering from an Achilles injury he suffered in March. An ACL injury has kept Chilwell out since having surgery in December.
I’m more than happy to accept Chelsea not winning the league for a season or two if it means the club fully back Tuchel and let him build his own team. Chelsea have the opportunity to have sustained success with a single manager, I hope they don’t mess it up
Tuchel calls for improved Chelsea performances to secure top-four spot
The 48-year-old manager was furious with his side following their defeat on Merseyside last weekend. The Blues are now looking over their shoulders to ensure their in-form London rivals don't overtake them.
The upcoming contest will be a tough test for Chelsea as they take on a Wolves side that they have only beaten twice in their previous seven meetings.
Asked why he believes his side have dropped off in recent weeks, Tuchel said:
"There are many reasons why it is normal to drop intensity or effort but we are an elite sports team and there is not much room for normal behavior. We need to step up and show another reaction and can play better. Start from there tomorrow."
Tuchel: “You need to be very good in scouting, recruiting and decision making to improve the squad." #cfc