Thomas Tuchel isn’t shy when it comes letting his players know what he expects from them. Since taking over at Chelsea, the manager has gone public with criticism when needed, and, due to there being no supporters in stadiums, it’s easy to hear as he shouts orders throughout matches.
In the Netherlands, a lot of attention has been given to Hakim Ziyech’s situation at Chelsea since his move from Ajax. Whilst it’s thought Tuchel can be good for the 27-year-old long term, criticism and frustration from the manager is also covered.
Dutch website Soccer News says the player was ‘again invisible’ at the weekend as Leeds United drew with Chelsea, even though he played in his favourite position.
Suleyman Özturk, a well known Dutch journalist who works for Voetbal International, is quoted as saying: “Ziyech now has to adapt to the situation. When Ziyech does play, you often hear Tuchel shout ‘Hakim, Hakim’. And that is because he does not put pressure on quickly enough after losing the ball. Tuchel is like that at one point, dissatisfied with the fact, so he takes him back to the side. And even in possession you think ‘then offer yourself in a different way, more actively and with more energy’.
“He plays with self-confidence, but he lacks the flair that he had at Ajax. It doesn’t come out, the trainer doesn’t have much reason to set him up anymore. still think: if you were to line him up at Ajax against Young Boys, you would immediately see three or four assists from him. He really has not forgotten how to play football, but he has joined Chelsea in a new reality.”
Although a Morocco international, Ziyech was born in the Netherlands and it’s that and his past in the Eredivisie which is the reason for all the attention he gets in the Dutch media.
The stance there now is that the attacker can’t complain he’s not getting chances, and needs to listen to Tuchel so the manager’s frustrations don’t see him edged out of the Chelsea team.
