Thomas Tuchel says Chelsea’s 4-0 pre-season friendly defeat to Arsenal ‘proves his point’ that they need more signings before the transfer window shuts.
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal continued their perfect record in pre-season as goals from Gabriel Jesus, Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and Albert Sambi Lokonga clinched an impressive win in Florida.
This was Chelsea’s third and last game of their US tour, with Tuchel’s side beating Mexican team Club America 2-1 and losing on penalties to MLS side Charlotte FC.
Tuchel has seen Raheem Sterling and Koulibaly arrive at Stamford Bridge this summer but believes more reinforcements are urgently needed ahead of the new campaign.
‘I am far from relaxed,’ Tuchel said after Chelsea’s heavy defeat. ‘We were simply not good enough. We were simply not competitive.
‘The worrying part is that the level of commitment physically and mentally for this match was far higher for Arsenal than for us.
‘They played I think what is their strongest line-up and structure that you see now for several weeks. This was the line-up they will try to start for Premier League games.
‘It was surely not our strongest line-up. This is a part of an explanation but only a little part and the other part is worrying. I cannot guarantee we will be ready in two weeks.’
On the need for more signings, Tuchel added: ‘My analysing of the season does not change because of this game. Unfortunately, it proved my point.
‘The last week proves my point. I would absolutely prefer not to be right. I did everything to prove myself wrong but at the moment I feel that I was right.
‘I look at the last season and parts of the game where we struggled, parts of the season where we struggled, and then we got sanctioned and players left us and some players are trying to leave us, and this is where it is.
‘So we had an urgent appeal for quality players, a huge amount of quality players. We got two quality players but we are not competitive like this. Unfortunately you could see it today.’
