Kai Havertz questions Thomas Tuchel’s sacking and Chelsea squad size
The Blues have endured a very difficult season and currently sit in 12th place in the table – level on points with Bournemouth – and have netted just 30 goals in 32 Premier League matches, making them the joint-fourth lowest scorers in the division.
They are currently on their fourth different coach – with Tuchel followed by Graham Potter, Bruno Saltor and now Frank Lampard – and Havertz has suggested off-field decisions have played a role in Chelsea’s malaise, though accepts the players could have done more too.
‘Everything that could go wrong went wrong for us this year,’ Havertz – who has previously said he would be keen to reunite with Tuchel – told Sky Germany, via Kicker.
‘The season actually started relatively quietly even though we had a change of ownership, which was a big change for the whole club.
‘And then Thomas Tuchel was fired, which of course always makes a big difference in a team like this when you’ve been successful with a coach and then he gets fired out of nowhere.’
After a ‘good phase’ initially under Potter, Havertz says Chelsea ‘didn’t play very well and lost a lot of points’ after the World Cup, with January’s massive transfer splurge creating a ‘giant squad’ that was a hindrance rather than a help.
He explained: ‘We got a lot of new players over the winter who first have to settle in with us in order to be able to show their quality.
‘Of course it’s easy to find excuses. I’m not blaming everything on something.
‘At the end of the day, we’re all professional footballers and we have to win football games.
‘Now we have our backs to the wall and aren’t doing very well in the table. We just have to do as well as possible from the last six games.’
On Tuesday night, Chelsea travel to the Emirates looking to arrest a run of five straight defeats under Lampard and Havertz says the players are eager to try and thwart Arsenal’s title charge.
‘It’s a London derby, so hopefully we can get the fans on our side again,’ he continued.
‘We hope to tease Arsenal a little bit. They’re in the title fight now, which is where we want to be. And if you can beat your rivals, that’s always good for the fans.’
MORE : Frank Lampard says Mauricio Pochettino is ‘not silly’ by waiting on Chelsea job
MORE : Frank Lampard hints Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could start for Chelsea against former side Arsenal
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