Chelsea manager, Thomas Tuchel started life at Chelsea with a 0-0 draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Wednesday night.
The replacement for Frank Lampard made a handful of changes for his first game in charge, including a tactical switch to a three-man defence, and they dominated the opening exchanges without creating too many chances on goal. Leander Dendoncker headed Wolves’ only effort of the half over the bar shortly before the break.
Edouard Mendy – 6. Had a watching brief for 70 minutes, then had to watch the ball bounce off his bar.
Cesar Azpilicueta – 6. Neat on the ball without offering much in the way of invention or penetration to the final third.
Thiago Silva – 7. Dominant without having an awful lot to do. Very good with distribution.
Antonio Rudiger – 6. Calm enough with his defensive work, little as that was.
Callum Hudson-Odoi – 8. Nominally a wing-back in a fluid system but wasn’t exactly asked to defend with regularity. Put over Chelsea’s most dangerous crosses, nearly scored late on – then tracked back to great effect to prevent a late Wolves winner.
Mateo Kovacic – 8. Was the passing fulcrum of the team right from kick-off. Fashioned the few openings the team managed in the opening hour and nearly put one top corner late on.
Jorginho – 6. Quietly tidy but on the periphery. Didn’t find the gaps between Wolves’ massed ranks.
Ben Chilwell – 6. Had the best chance for the Blues but fired over.
Hakim Ziyech – 6. One shot from range aside, he didn’t have a huge impact in the final third.
Kai Havertz – 7. One powerful run hinted at his intent to improve. Made a couple of good through passes and teed up Chilwell for a great chance.
Olivier Giroud – 6. Headed one cross over and had very little else fall his way.
Substitutes:
Mount: Made a serious impact late on. 7
