https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2022/01/18/tuchel-explains-mount-absence
Tuchel explains Mount absence and how he is suffering because of other
players' injuries
18 Jan 2022
Thomas Tuchel has confirmed Mason Mount's absence from the starting
line-up against Manchester City was due to tactical reasons, although he
feels the 22-year-old has been suffering as a result of some of the
injuries to players around him.
https://i.imgur.com/cBASzxC.jpg
Mount began our 1-0 defeat to Manchester City on Saturday among the
Chelsea substitutes at the Etihad Stadium, the first time our number 19
had been left out of Tuchel's starting XI for a Premier League match since
November.
Ahead of our next Premier League fixture, away at Brighton & Hove Albion
tonight, Tuchel was quick to confirm the decision was purely down to
feeling other players in the front-three were better suited to our
tactical plan for that specific game.
He did admit to being on the receiving end of some angry stares from Mount
when delivering the news he would be on the bench, though, which is no
less than he would have expected.
'I get them and this is absolutely normal and it's still within Mason's
character of kindness and being polite and being respectful. So there is
no harm in this, but I get the eyes, I get the look, of course,' explained
Tuchel.
'He is here to play these kinds of matches, but we were simply opting for
runners. We thought we could break the line more often with Hakim as a
left-footer on the left side and going for Christian on the right side
because the arrival of Christian in the box is normally a bit more
offensive and he is a bit more of a runner than Mason.
https://i.imgur.com/2RiTM8i.jpg
Tuchel felt Pulisic and Ziyech could pose the biggest threat to Man City
'We expected the spaces more behind the last line, not in front of the
back four of City. So that was the decision.'
However, the German did also suggest he had seen signs that Mount was not
quite at his brilliant best, including in our 1-0 Carabao Cup semi-final
win at Tottenham last week, even if it was not the main reason behind his
decision.
'I felt Mason not in the 100 per cent zone where he is untouchable, which
normally he almost always is. So we took that decision and it can happen
from time to time. He is not happy about it, but it will not last long
because everybody loves Mason, me included.'
https://i.imgur.com/12gDXCv.jpg
Mount is all smiles in training at Cobham
It has been suggested to Tuchel that Mount has been feeling the absence of
his friend and team-mate Ben Chilwell since the wing-back was ruled out by
a knee injury, given their excellent relationship on and off the pitch.
Our head coach agrees the loss of partnerships like that can hurt
performances, for players and the team as a whole, and pointed to other
absences which have also robbed Mount of that instinctive and
near-telepathic on-field understanding that comes from settled
combinations within the team.
'I think he's also missing Reece James. Reece, N'Golo and him were so
strong together. These things, when you know without even looking when you
turn that “he will come now, or I will go and I will get the pass, or NG
will come so I will be here”. We are missing this and I think, without
asking him now, Mason is missing this. He has this genuine understanding
with Reece and with Chilly on the other side.'
https://i.imgur.com/Rp1fs9X.jpg
Tuchel believes the absences of Chilwell and James have made things more
difficult for Mount
Tuchel goes on to discusses the gap between ourselves and Manchester City
at the top of the Premier League table, which has now stretched to 13
points, feeling it is an unacceptable situation but one we just have to
deal with and concentrate on winning matches to stay in the fight with
City and Liverpool.
'We would have never accepted it before, never, but this is the reality
now. Just because it's like this, not everything is bad. At the moment we
are 13 points behind, but we are in a race of a top three.
'So this is the situation and from there we go, but I would not have
accepted it one year ago. I would not have accepted it four weeks ago and
I did not accept it when we arrived in this situation at City.
'That is who we are and that is what makes us and I am absolutely
comfortable to not accept it, because I work for Chelsea and we play for
Chelsea so when we play, we play to win.'