Thomas Tuchel backs misfiring Timo Werner and reveals reason for Hakim Ziyech absence for Chelsea
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Updated 31/01/2021 at 20:20 GMT
Hakim Ziyech was absent from the game with Burnley at Stamford Bridge on Sunday on medical advice, with Blues coach Thomas Tuchel concerned about a physical overload for the Morocco star. Chelsea did not miss him as they claimed a 2-0 win thanks to goals from Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso. The win was Tuchel's first as Chelsea manager
Timo Werner
Image credit: Getty Images
Thomas Tuchel is happy with Timo Werner’s commitment to the cause and has backed the Chelsea striker to come good.
The German forward’s barren run in the Premier League was extended to 12 games when he drew a blank in the Blues’ 2-0 win over Burnley on Sunday.
The game was Tuchel’s first win since taking over from Frank Lampard, and he is finding his feet at Stamford Bridge.
Werner was an unused substitute in the 0-0 draw with Wolves, but was handed 90 minutes against the Clarets.
He did not find his way onto the scoresheet, but Tuchel was happy with the forward’s game and suggested work will be done in training on ensuring the rest of the squad play to the Germany international’s strengths.
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“He is totally into it,” Tuchel said at his post-match press conference. “He gives everything.
“You can see, like every striker in the world, they guys are sensitive and nothing helps better than goals. If they miss the goals for a certain time then it isn’t the same for them, it is not special to Timo, it happens with every striker in the world.
"As long as he has the impact, works like he worded today, we will support him.
We missed some chances to use him in counter attacks which is his big strength, he has pure speed.
“We need to improve to bring him into situations to be decisive for us.
“He was confident to play but that is something you cannot demand, you either have it or you don’t. But it is no problem, maybe he just needs to find an easy goal to bring out the last percent.”
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Hakim Ziyceh was not in the matchday squad, and Tuchel confirmed it was on medical advice to give the forward a break.
“We had a normal process of a recommendation [from the medical staff] and we had some words that he is in a personal overload in the last five weeks,” Tuchel said.
“He has a history to be a risk for injury when he plays for five weeks of overload. That’s why, the pure physical recommendation of the staff was for him to not play more than 30 minutes.
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"We offered him a full break to not be on the bench and even play 30 minutes and he said okay, let’s do the break now and we can start using him again next week full-on.
“Let’s give him the break now because what will we do if we lose someone after 15 minutes and lose the opportunity for an offensive change and that was the only reason.”
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