Just worry about now, Tuchel tells timid Timo
CHELSEA manager Thomas Tuchel has defended Timo Werner, telling the out-of-form striker to ignore all the noise and focus on ending his Blues goal drought.
Germany forward Werner has struggled since his £45million switch from RB Leipzig last year and has just five league goals to his name.
His problems in front of goal have been mirrored by his team-mates under Tuchel and rumours persist that Werner could return to his native Germany in the summer.
‘The clear advice (to Werner) is don’t focus on the result, focus on the process, get your decision-making right, your technique right, take good decisions and the ball and the opponent’s goalkeeper will do the rest.
‘And then it’s either in or an amazing save,’ Tuchel said before tonight’s Champions League last-16, second leg tie with Atletico Madrid.
‘He can improve from there but there is simply no time to reflect on what is going to happen in the summer and next year. There’s no time.’
Tuchel also said there is nothing he can do about out-of-favour goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga being left out of Spain’s latest squad.
The £71.6m signing has made just two appearances under the German, who added: ‘Would it be easier if he played on a regular basis? Clearly, yes. But it’s not about this personal objective, it’s about Chelsea.
‘And we have said it straight between our goalkeepers that Edouard Mendy is No.1. Can we influence the decision of the Spanish national coach? No, we cannot.’
Meanwhile, Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger has admitted he could have joined big-spending Paris SaintGermain or Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham after being frozen out by former manager Frank Lampard at the start of the season.
Rudiger said: ‘I was close [to leaving]. There were really two teams, mainly one, that I was considering – that was PSG, to be honest.
‘There was one also with Mourinho. I was a bit upset of course because I knew my situation – I would not play that often.’
There is no time to reflect on what will happen in the summer and next year