Thomas Tuchel has not taken long to settle into his new role as Chelsea manager. He seems confident and has been open about where his priorities lie as he takes on one of the most perilous roles in English football. The former Paris Saint-Germain manager seems unfazed by what lies ahead which is good news for a team that is in desperate need of improved results.
After starting his career in charge with a 0-0 draw against Wolves at home, Tuchel has recognised that Premier League victory is not on the cards this season. However, he has big aims for the next league campaign and is looking to the Champions League and the F.A. Cup this time around.
Premier League a target for next season
One of the first points that Tuchel made as manager was that the Premier League title is out of reach this season, given the number of teams that are ahead of Chelsea in the league. However, he has made it clear that he wants the team to be competing for the title next season.
As part of this, Tuchel is looking forward to beating Tottenham even though he followed the team as a youngster. He has no problem with proving where his allegiances lie as an experienced professional in the game. This season, Tuchel is set to prove his allegiance in Europe and/or the F.A. Cup where his team is still very much in contention. This is shown in Chelsea’s Champions League odds which are around 22/1 compared to the 100/1 odds you can get on the team winning the Premier League.
Where is success more likely?
If you look purely at the next games that Chelsea face in both competitions, you would have to say that their chances of success seem to be better in the F.A. Cup than the Champions League.
Their next meeting in the Champions League comes against Atlético with the games being played on 23 February and 17 March. Getting through this round will be a tough ask for Chelsea as Atlético are more fancied to progress. However, it’s all about two games only, so there is always a chance to perform well on the days, even if overall form remains in flux for the time being.
Saying that, there is arguably a better opportunity to progress further in the F.A. Cup given that the next round involves a journey to Oakwell to face Barnsley. The manager and players have to fancy their chances against the Championship side. Although they will not want to take anything for granted.
The good news for fans is that they will be able to see just how much impact Tuchel has started to make because the game against Barnsley is being shown live on BBC One with a kick-off time of 8 pm.
The game will also provide the new manager with his first experience of the great cup competition. He will be keen for the team to impress as this competition seems to be Chelsea’s best opportunity for success this season.
