Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has accepted his part of the blame in an interview with BT Sport following the Blues’ 1-0 defeat to Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League.
The club’s European campaign got off to the worst possible start as they stumbled at the first hurdle in Croatia, with Mislav Orsic’s first half goal enough to sink the Blues, who left it late to even threaten their opponents’ goal.
A shot from Reece James hit the post late, while Hakim Ziyech and Mason Mount were both denied from a stunning double save in a night which the pair were way off their best.
Questions were also asked of the Blues defenders, with commentator for the evening Martin Keown claiming Wesley Fofana could have done more to stop Orsic from breaking the deadlock.
Overall though it was a night to forget for Tuchel, who likened the game to the few the Blues have already lost this season where they have been the creators of their own downfall.
Tuchel takes responsibility for loss
He said: “Well it’s an underperformance from us. Same story like always. Okay start, we don’t finish our half chances to put the game to bed. Then we concede one counter-attack which is too easy. Then we lose the match.
“I’m part of it. We are clearly not where we need to be. It’s on me, on us, we need to find solutions. At the moment everything is missing.”
The pressure is now certainly set to rise on the German, with it being claimed even before this match that anything other than a victory would be worrying for his job security.
However, Blues fans should undoubtedly stick through these tough times and stand by the manager who delivered them the Champions League only a year ago.
The club are trying to bed in a number of new signings, and look for the system which brings the best out of all of them. Whoever is in charge is going to have to go through this process, and Tuchel is better than most to be at the club right now.