Tuchel made feelings clear to players following Chelsea defeats

Thomas Tuchel says he has made his feelings clear to Chelsea’s players following two crushing home defeats.

Saturday’s shock 4-1 loss to Brentford was followed by Real Madrid winning 3-1 at Stamford Bridge in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final.

Head coach Tuchel held a meeting with his squad on Thursday and appears to have pulled no punches in his assessment of recent performances.

“It was not a discussion type of a meeting,” Tuchel quipped when asked about it at a press conference on Friday.

“I gave my point of view, which is sometimes necessary.

“We take the players’ view very seriously and often into account, but over the last two games we felt like it was maybe necessary to give our point of view.

“It was behind closed doors in an atmosphere where everybody can take criticism.

“We don’t point fingers and don’t look for people who are guilty – we are in this together. But we needed to point out some things in our game about which we are not happy.

“I love the group and I love to be involved, and we can do better together.

“We constantly try to figure out how we can improve and we need to stop this kind of direction as soon as possible.

“It’s very not like us to defend like this and concede so many goals. We didn’t see it coming and these two matches were very untypical.”

Meanwhile, Hakim Ziyech and Romelu Lukuaku are doubts for Chelsea’s trip to face Southampton.

Both players have missed training and will be assessed ahead of the game at St Mary’s.

Ziyech picked up a knock against Real, while Lukaku is nursing a sore Achilles.

“We are a bit in doubt with Romelu and Hakim Ziyech, so we need to see,” Tuchel explained.

“They were not in training yesterday due to little problems. We hope to have them in training but we need a test and to have confirmation if they are available for tomorrow.”

Tuchel also admitted that Callum Hudson-Odoi is set to remain on the sidelines for some time.

Hudson-Odoi has been struggling with an Achilles injury and also has a back problem.

“It doesn’t look so good at the moment,” Tuchel said.

“I think it’s not a matter of days at the moment, more a matter of weeks.”