Tuchel’s decision to axe Chelsea star fully justified, says pundit
Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel’s decision to drop Ben Chilwell this season has been given the thumbs up by All McCoist.
Chilwell was given seven minutes as a sub in Tuesday’s 1-0 win over Zenit in the Champions League. That was his first action of the season, despite making 42 appearances for the Blues last term.
Marcos Alonso has been Tuchel’s go to man on the left this season, starting all six of their games.
Chilwell was also left out in the cold for England at the Euros. Gareth Southgate opted for Kieran Trippier and Luke Shaw en route to the final.
And Tuchel pointed to that as part of the reason why he has left a “mentally tired” Chilwell on the sidelines.
And former Rangers forward McCoist believes Tuchel has been proved right with Alonso’s impressive start to the season. The Spaniard, who looked destined to leave in the summer, has scored and was given the captain’s armband against Aston Villa.
“We’ve only played six games, Chilwell’s not got any divine right to get the jersey, Alonso’s got the jersey to start with and he’s been playing well, he [Tuchel] is happy with Alonso,” McCoist told talkSPORT.
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‘They’ve had some start, so he’s been proved right’
“Lukaku’s the wrong example but if all of a sudden he [Tuchel] started with Werner and didn’t start Lukaku and Werner scored 14 goals in the opening six games, I’m damn sure he wouldn’t drop Werner. I’d be livid if I was Werner [and I was] getting left out.
“I don’t buy it at all. Maybe he doesn’t fancy him or like him, but the fact of the matter is from what he’s [Tuchel] told us, he felt Ben Chilwell was mentally tired and he’s been really happy with Alonso’s form.
“Unless Alonso has a dip or he feels Chilwell is mentally right to come back in, I just think he’s making a decision.
“When you’ve got good players like that, it’s natural when supporters have favourites they say. ‘He should or shouldn’t be playing’, that’s why these managers have got massive squads. That’s what happens, great players get left out.
“Listen, I think Chilwell is a great player, absolutely a great player. But I don’t think any player has got a divine right to be picked. I think the manager is exercising his right to pick the team he thinks. And they’ve had some start, so he’s been proved right.”
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