Tuchel makes definitive statement over Chelsea keeper battle as unbeaten start continues Thomas Tuchel made a clear statement over who his first-choice goalkeeper is after Chelsea moved into the top four with a 2-0 win over Newcastle. Timo Werner scored and assisted as he ended a 14-game goal drought to help Chelsea to victory over the visiting Magpies. Werner’s cross rebounded out to Olivier Giroud to net Chelsea’s opener in the first half, after the striker replaced the injured Tammy Abraham. Summer signing Werner then made it 2-0 eight minutes later, scrambling in a flick-on at the back post. Victory sees Chelsea move back up to fourth place, ahead of West Ham. Speaking after the game, Tuchel told Sky Sports: “I liked the first half where we played with courage and had a lot of touches in the box and lots of shots, 12 to three and kept them away from our box and did not allow any chances. “During the whole match we lacked precision in the last box and the decision making can be more deadly, precise and decisive to create more from our half chances. “We gave away two shots in the first two minutes of the second half, we lost duels and the decision making was like we had something to lose. “The guys had two days off and maybe they wanted to keep this, I spoke too early at half time about this! “The first decision, we arrived on Tuesday and had to play on Wednesday so we had to play a double six and the experienced guys on the pitch with those with a clear picture of Chelsea from the previous season. If we do change systems, I think we can and we have to be flexible if we need to.” Mendy still number one As for his decision to go with Kepa in goal over Edouard Mendy, the German stated the latter remains the club’s No.1 He added: “Edouard is the number one and that is clear, it stays like this. I am very happy Kepa continued with a second clean sheet and it was the right moment to let him feel the rhythm and build his confidence. “We hoped for the very best performance and Edu will be in from now on because he is the number one.” Werner, meanwhile, was relieved to have finally found the mark in a dominant Chelsea performance. He told Sky Sports: “First half was really good form us, we played very good football. Happy that I scored finally and there’s still a long way to go but if we keep going like this is will be a good end for us. “As a striker you always want to score, the last month was hard I was not happy with not scoring. But at the end it’s a team sport, when we win everything is good. Helping my team with assists and glad I scored today. “For a striker it’s worse when you can’t get in the right situations and have the chances. I’ve had a lot of chances which I’ve missed, my team brought me a lot of situations where I could score today, when I keep going the goals will come like today and the assists as well.” REPORT: Werner drought finally over as Chelsea move into Champions League spots The post Tuchel makes definitive statement over Chelsea keeper battle as unbeaten start continues appeared first on teamtalk.com.

Thomas Tuchel made a clear statement over who his first-choice goalkeeper is after Chelsea moved into the top four with a 2-0 win over Newcastle.

Timo Werner scored and assisted as he ended a 14-game goal drought to help Chelsea to victory over the visiting Magpies.

Werner’s cross rebounded out to Olivier Giroud to net Chelsea’s opener in the first half, after the striker replaced the injured Tammy Abraham.

Summer signing Werner then made it 2-0 eight minutes later, scrambling in a flick-on at the back post.

Victory sees Chelsea move back up to fourth place, ahead of West Ham.

Speaking after the game, Tuchel told Sky Sports: “I liked the first half where we played with courage and had a lot of touches in the box and lots of shots, 12 to three and kept them away from our box and did not allow any chances.

“During the whole match we lacked precision in the last box and the decision making can be more deadly, precise and decisive to create more from our half chances.

“We gave away two shots in the first two minutes of the second half, we lost duels and the decision making was like we had something to lose.

“The guys had two days off and maybe they wanted to keep this, I spoke too early at half time about this!

“The first decision, we arrived on Tuesday and had to play on Wednesday so we had to play a double six and the experienced guys on the pitch with those with a clear picture of Chelsea from the previous season. If we do change systems, I think we can and we have to be flexible if we need to.”

Mendy still number one

As for his decision to go with Kepa in goal over Edouard Mendy, the German stated the latter remains the club’s No.1

He added: “Edouard is the number one and that is clear, it stays like this. I am very happy Kepa continued with a second clean sheet and it was the right moment to let him feel the rhythm and build his confidence.

“We hoped for the very best performance and Edu will be in from now on because he is the number one.”

Werner, meanwhile, was relieved to have finally found the mark in a dominant Chelsea performance.

He told Sky Sports: “First half was really good form us, we played very good football. Happy that I scored finally and there’s still a long way to go but if we keep going like this is will be a good end for us.

“As a striker you always want to score, the last month was hard I was not happy with not scoring. But at the end it’s a team sport, when we win everything is good. Helping my team with assists and glad I scored today.

“For a striker it’s worse when you can’t get in the right situations and have the chances. I’ve had a lot of chances which I’ve missed, my team brought me a lot of situations where I could score today, when I keep going the goals will come like today and the assists as well.”

REPORT: Werner drought finally over as Chelsea move into Champions League spots

 

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Robert McCarthy