Thomas
Tuchel blamed his own team selection for Chelsea's 1-0 defeat by Arsenal,
after making seven changes to his line-up ahead of Saturday's FA Cup final.
Tuchel suffered only the second defeat since taking charge at Stamford
Bridge with the Blues unable to cut through a defensive Arsenal side who
hung onto their 16th-minute opener, scored by Emile Smith Rowe after a
Jorginho defensive howler.
That defeat, which opens the door for Liverpool to cut their cushion inside
the top four to only a point, came less than three days before Tuchel will
lead his side out at Wembley in Saturday's FA Cup final to face Leicester,
who will enjoy a day more of rest having played Manchester United on
Tuesday.
Having already made five changes to face Manchester City at the weekend from
the side that beat Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals, Tuchel
kept only four players from that game to face the Gunners on Wednesday night
- and admitted it had been a step too far.
He told Sky Sports: "We had three days, we are on a good run, we had a good
mood. The choices were not so good today from my side for the line-up so
that's on me. We were unlucky, of course. But we did everything today to
lose.
"I'm not happy with my line-up. It's easy to say afterwards. But it was too
many changes, I should not have done it like this. It's something in
particular - but I will not tell you.
"I felt it a little bit coming yesterday in training. I'm a bit unlucky that
it's proven today on the pitch. I regret... but it's like this. 'We could
have [done this], we could have [done that]', and that's what it's all
about.
"I did not feel us in the same way involved, sharp with intensity and energy
like the last game and these are the per cents who are missing today."
Tuchel further suggested his line-up may have provided a psychological shock
to his team ahead of Saturday's final, telling his post-match press
conference: "We all lacked concentration and focus, that is very unusual.
"Maybe I gave some signs to the team that Saturday is on my mind, even if
it's only five per cent, or one per cent, that is not how you approach
things and you get punished, because you cannot be naive."
Chelsea's result opens the door to both West Ham and Liverpool, who will sit
three and one point behind them if they win their respective games in hand,
but the manager took solace from the fact his side's fortunes are still in
their own hands with only two games left to play.
"It was always a big fight," he said. "It's still in our hands. Another
chance missed. But we had some good results so we have to cope now with a
loss."
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