Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel admits his side lacks ‘energy, fresh legs and fresh input’ after scraping Everton, saying he’s ‘open’ to more deals… as Jamie Redknapp insists the Blues are ‘a number’ 9 need like Diego Costa or Didier Drogba’
Chelsea won 1-0 in their opening Premier League game against Everton
The Blues have made six new signings so far this summer, including Raheem Sterling
The current transfer window is Chelsea’s first under new owner Todd Boehly
Jamie Redknapp says bringing in a new striker should be a top priority
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Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has revealed he is open to bringing in more new additions as the club secured a win over Everton on Saturday.
In a game marred by a serious injury to Everton defender Ben Godfrey, the Blues took three points thanks to a Jorginho penalty in the first half.
After the game at Stamford Bridge, Tuchel praised the Italian midfielder’s contribution, but acknowledged that his team could benefit from securing some additional signings before the transfer window closes:
“For us, we beat Jorginho 1-0. Very classic! We know we need to get better, but a win helps. We have the next step for atmosphere and spirit.’
“We can add, but we’re open to anything. We can use new energy, fresh legs and fresh input. I think we could use a little more input and a little more quality.’ He added.
Thomas Tuchel revealed he is open to bringing in more new signings this window
Jorginho’s penalty in the first half gave Chelsea the lead going into half-time
Chelsea boss Tuchel praised Italian midfielder’s performance as ‘classic’
Despite taking the lead and dominating possession throughout the game, Tuchel’s team failed to build their advantage in the second half.
While his team fell short of his expectations in the win, Tuchel praised his players for their ability to secure the three points:
“I could assume we are not at our highest level. The preseason was turbulent. The last week of training was promising. In the second half we simply had too little movement on the ball. Less movement, more ball loss. In the end ten minutes of extra time, a bit strange, but we persevered and did what we had to do to keep a clean sheet.’
The win also saw Marc Cucurella make his Chelsea debut, just days after Brighton’s signing amid interest from Manchester City. The 24-year-old Spainard appeared in the second half as a substitute and Tuchel was satisfied with his performance:
Raheem Sterling (left) and Marc Cucurella made their Chelsea debut in victory over Everton
“I’m very happy with 20 minutes of Cucurella.” He said.
Despite taking the win at Goodison Park, questions remain as to whether Chelsea can compete for the Premier League title this season without signing an outstanding striker to replace the departed Lukaku.
Commenting after the game, Jamie Redknapp stated his belief that the Blues need a new striker:
“They need a number nine, a striker. Diego Costa, before Drogba, was impeccable in that position. Sterling could be the striker for them. Broja is a good young player but he will go in and out of the team. It is very difficult to find a good striker.”
Chelsea will host Tottenham Hotspur on August 14, the first game at Stamford Bridge of the 22/23 Premier League season.