December 04, (THEWILL) – Mason Mount’s impact on the Chelsea game has been acknowledged by manager Thomas Tuchel, with the Blues going undefeated when the England midfielder has started this season.
Mount was pivotal in Chelsea snatching a crucial victory away at Watford in midweek, keeping them top of the Premier League by the skin of their teeth as teams following them, Manchester City and Liverpool, remain hot on their heels.
On the half-hour mark at Vicarage Road, the 22-year-old demonstrated this game-changing impact. He not only opened the scoring against the run of play, but capped a fine individual display by making a darting run and cutting the ball back for Hakim Ziyech to fire in the winner with just over 15 minutes remaining after the Hornets had equalised.
The Blues are unbeaten in all competitions in the nine games Mount has started this season, whereas Chelsea have lost two and drawn five in the 13 games he has either started on the bench or been left out of.
Tuchel remarked in his pre-match press conference, “Maybe it’s luck or maybe it is the effect he has to be the edge and to put the edge to our side,” when asked about the statistical significance of Mount’s impact on the team.
The German manager continued: “We know about this because it’s a kind of statistic that is sometimes quite interesting, like who is on the pitch when we win, who starts when we win, who ends the matches when we win. We are aware of these statistics.
“I first heard about these statistics in American basketball, where the influence from one player is much higher because it’s five against five compared to 11 against 11 playing with your foot. It’s not a statistic that guarantees you to start because this would be maybe a bit too easy but it’s something that we cannot deny.
“To have Mason brings a certain attitude, aura and mentality on the field and it’s nice that he has this winning ratio. We are aware of it and it’s full credit to him.”
He went on to say: “It’s very hard to drop him because even when he has not-so-good games, you still always get full energy, positivity and a wonderful approach to the game. He is very passionate and has almost a deep love with the game, always ready to give everything to contribute fully. That’s why it is hard to drop him but sometimes we do.
“He came back from an injury and we felt him a bit tired, then he also had his tooth surgery so sometimes we have to and it’s the same criteria for everybody, to fight for their place. This is where we are.”
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
