The new season started on a low note for Chilwell after he was named on Chelsea’s bench for the opening six Premier League games.
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Opening up on a difficult summer, Chelsea left-back Ben Chilwell has attributed a lot of praise to Blues head coach Thomas Tuchel in helping him transform his season for good. The summer started with the 24-year-old being included in England’s squad for Euro 2020. However, he failed to make an appearance for the Three Lions, as they reached the final before losing it out to Italy on a penalty shootout. The new season started on a low note for Chilwell after he was named on Chelsea’s bench for the opening six Premier League games. Marcos Alonso was preferred to play on the left side of the defence for the Blues.
However, Chilwell’s fortune soon changed. He was handed a start against Southampton at the beginning of October and took his chance impressively well, scoring in three consecutive top-flight matches. “It was difficult,” Chilwell said of his summer, as per their club’s website. “I’ve been asked quite a lot recently since I’ve started playing and the way I’ve answered is a cliche but: it’s football. These are things that are going to happen to the majority of players in their professional career, where they have low moments, high moments.
“The way I try to look at it, I was disappointed that I wasn’t playing in such a massive competition in England. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed. But the way I was trying to go into the whole thing was that it happens to a lot of people in football. I just need to make sure I’m ready, I’ll come through this stronger and better on the other side.”
Notably, Chilwell was named among October’s Player of the Month nominees in the Premier League. He has also started six of the last eight matches across all competitions. Following a tough summer that extended till the opening weeks of the season, Chelsea manager Tuchel admitted in September that he believes Chilwell was suffering from mental fatigue on the back of a frustrating couple of months. “I think it wasn’t so much mental fatigue,” Chilwell said. “I think it was more I was so eager to get back playing football, it was maybe coming across that I wanted it a bit too much.
“Me and the manager at Chelsea had a very honest conversation where he did say to me: ‘You know, I feel like mentally at the moment you’re just, in training, you’re pushing a bit too much to try and get back in the team. We love you here, we know the qualities you possess. Just relax a little bit. You’re going to get back in.’
“For me, that was brilliant to hear – and then it was just about being patient and making sure that I was ready, so that when I was called upon to play, I could do my best for the team.”
Defender Andreas Christensen has provided a positive update on his future with Chelsea, saying that he hopes to sign a new deal “soon” with the club. The 25-year-old has enjoyed a promising stint since Thomas Tuchel took charge of the club. With his current contract running out at the end of the season, Christensen insists that he is not in a “bad situation” with the club and stated that he is “happy” at the moment at Stamford Bridge.
When asked if he is close to committing his long-term future with the Blues, Christensen said, “Hopefully soon. I feel valued, I’m happy but I do not get into the contract situation. I do not know why everyone thinks it is a bad situation. Because I’m still happy and I enjoy playing football.”
