https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/article/
tuchel-on-dealing-with-the-heat-sterlings-best-role-and-countering
Tuchel on dealing with the heat, Sterling's best role and countering
Tottenham's counters
12 Aug 2022
Thomas Tuchel has revealed he has adapted training methods this week to
avoid the worst of the heatwave, and the boss says his players will have
dig deep to cope with the conditions on Sunday.
https://i.imgur.com/MtXKsGK.jpg
Temperatures in London are expected to peak tomorrow, but by kick-off
against Tottenham it is still forecast to be 35 degrees, the hottest it
will have been for a Chelsea game in England for a very long time, indeed
possibly ever.
At his press conference at Cobham this lunchtime, Tuchel explained what
effect the heat has had on the build-up to our first home game of the
season.
'We adapted our training session times to early mornings,' said the boss.
'We have some patterns implemented already to cool the body temperature
down to improve the situation as much as possible, but it will be very hot
and very demanding physically.
'We see clearly from the data the same training exercise in different
conditions has very different output, and a very different effect on how
you feel.
https://i.imgur.com/NjGBNhY.jpg
People seeking shade in St James's Park in central London
'It is also a matter of how much you want it, because it will feel very
difficult. It's a question of who has the ability to play through the
pain.
'I'm not at the stage the weather forecast influences my starting XI, but
we accept this kind of heat has a physical effect on the players. In a
stadium it can feel even worse, so it will be quite challenging.'
Twenty-four hours earlier it was Raheem Sterling who was sitting in the
media room hotseat at Cobham, the England forward explaining he was most
commonly a winger but very happy to play more centrally if it helped the
team. Today, Tuchel was asked what he saw as Sterling's best position.
'He should play in the last line, or between the defensive lines, to drive
towards the last line or run through it,' answered the German.
'He was very good in training in this free role as a number nine and
dropping into half-spaces. He has so much quality, there are many places
to use him. He can play across from the wing, he was very dangerous in the
number nine position with an offside goal and a big chance [at Everton],
more of a free role.
'Things are not finished, he came late to pre-season, but one thing is
clear: the impact he has physically and mentally, and in terms of quality,
is huge, no matter where he plays.'
Our opponents on Sunday have plenty of speed themselves. Under Antonio
Conte they have scored the most goals in the league in 2022, spearheaded
by the counter-attacking threat of Harry Kane and Son Heung-min. Tuchel
explained how his side can stop that danger again, having beaten Spurs
four times in 2021/22, without conceding.
'We have to be very disciplined in certain regions of the game. They
stepped a level up, they are playing the same structure but they have a
pattern in their offensive pressing and defensive attitude. This changes a
lot.
'It's very important we're good on the ball, the dominant team, and put
the game into the opponents' halves, and from there control the
counter-attacks before everyone else sees it.
https://i.imgur.com/EjNJFEX.png
'They are one of the very best teams, maybe in the world, at
counter-attacks. We did a fantastic job in closing it down [last season].
The players were unbelievably disciplined and aware.
'We can never lose our structure and our head while we are attacking. This
is the moment to stop the counter-attack. If they start, you're in big
trouble, so we need to be smart and stop the counter-attacks before they
start.'