Thomas Tuchel has admitted it’s “very hard” to leave Mason Mount out of the Chelsea starting line-up.
Mount, who earns £88,000-a-week, is one of the poster boys at Stamford Bridge that’s come from the glittering Blues academy.
The 22-year-old attacking midfielder has done his talking on the pitch during the past couple of seasons as a first-team Chelsea player.
He’s scored four goals and made three assists so far this campaign in the Premier League. However, he’s been in and out of the starting XI, something he’s not experienced in the last couple of years.
Club icon Gianfranco Zola said in November that Mount has looked well off the high standards he’s previously set.
The England international looked on top form in midweek, though, by scoring and assisting in the 2-1 league win away to Watford.
Tuchel has been speaking about Mount ahead of Saturday’s trip to West Ham:
“It’s very hard to drop him because even when he has not-so-good games, you still always get full energy, positivity and a wonderful approach to the game,” Tuchel said.
He is very passionate and has almost a deep love with the game, always ready to give everything to contribute fully. That’s why it is hard to drop him but sometimes we do.”

Mount should retain spot in Chelsea XI
Mount’s in an unfamiliar position where his name isn’t nailed-on in each starting line-up.
However, surely Tuchel sticks with him this weekend for the London derby against West Ham.
The playmaker has had issues with tiredness, plus he had his wisdom teeth removed recently as well.
He should now be determined to get back to playing his very best football and has to be in Tuchel’s preferred XI when he’s playing anywhere near his peak.
The sheer amount of depth in Chelsea’s attacking options this season should be driving each player to get the best out of themselves.
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