Chelsea
head coach Thomas Tuchel said he will continue to push Mason Mount to
improve after his man-of-the-match display against Tottenham on Thursday
night.
Jorginho's penalty handed Tuchel his first away win, with Mount starting in
Chelsea's forward line along with Callum Hudson-Odoi and Timo Werner.
Mount was a regular starter under former Chelsea boss Frank Lampard, but
eyebrows had been raised when then England international was omitted from
Tuchel's first starting XI against Wolves last month.
However, the 22-year-old has gone on to start their next two Premier League
games, and while Tuchel said there are no guarantees going forward - with a
trip to Sheffield United next on Sunday, live on Sky Sports - the Chelsea
boss was full of praise for both Mount's quality and personality.
"To Mason, I cannot tell you where his limit is," Tuchel said. "I don't want
to put a limit to his development. It is obvious he has a lot of potential.
Besides that he's a great footballer he's a super nice guy, he's eager to
learn, he is hungry to win, he is open-minded.
"He can perform under any manager. This is the best thing, he really means
it, he has this internal motivation and he's a very nice guy. Big
personality, what [more] can you wish for?"
He added: "That [quality] was very clear before, because we watched the team
and [under] Frank [he] was a regular starter. [For] Frank there was no doubt
he's a team player, and he has the potential that he has.
"We didn't choose him for the first game because we opted for a slightly
different profile in the two No.10 positions. When he came in he showed what
a big influence he can have also from the bench.
"From here there are no guarantees for nobody, also not for Mason. Right
now, it's easy with him, he leaves his heart out there on the pitch but
everybody else does the same thing. It's a team effort and Mason is the
first to agree on that and to behave like that.
"This is what we need. Is there room to improve? Yes. Is there a lot of room
to improve? Yes. There are no gifts, he has to earn his place in every
training and every match. The boy is a super nice guy and he knows about it,
he is a competitor. That's why we'll keep on pushing him like all the
others."
Tuchel also explained that his embrace with Mount at full-time was to
express his delight with the England international's performance, but also
featured words of advice.
"I was just happy that we won, and happy with his performance," Tuchel said.
"You can be very sure that Mase leaves his heart on the pitch for Chelsea.
This is what we need. He's an absolute team player and he's still young.
"He has still room to improve, but I told him don't worry. Of course you can
be more decisive and even more dangerous with your decisions in the last 20
metres of the match, but if you have to suffer, we suffer, and then we
defend.
"For that, I am very, very happy with his performances and I told the team,
this is a good feeling, if things get complicated or are not too easy with a
second or third goal, we have to experience moments where we can finish a
moment like this.
"We played with Mason coming from a No 9 and dropping to a No 10 position,
because we wanted to have two wide strikers and find Mason the spaces in
between the lines. He did good."
'How many teams in top-four race? I cannot
care less'
The victory over Spurs lifted Chelsea up to sixth in the table and puts them
four points behind fourth-placed Liverpool.
Three teams behind Chelsea - Everton, Spurs and Aston Villa - all have games
in hand which could move them above the Blues, but in the pursuit for
Champions League football Tuchel said he could not control matters that are
out of his hands.
When asked how many teams could be involved in the top-four race, Tuchel
replied: "I cannot care less, because I cannot influence other results and I
cannot influence what the other teams do.
"I know there are too many teams between us and the Champions League places.
It is maybe boring for you guys, but I simply know no other approach than to
take it step by step. The most important is that we don't lose focus, take
care about the guys who were not on the pitch, and to take care about our
quality and atmosphere in the dressing room, that we are able to compete
again on Sunday.
"Maybe we need some changes to be sharp again, and physical again, in the
next away game against a strong and physical Sheffield side. This is all we
focus on, the rest we have no influence on."
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