Mason
Mount was frequently accused of being a 'teacher's pet' under Frank Lampard,
and then again in an England shirt under Gareth Southgate. But, having
earned similar admiration from Thomas Tuchel, has the penny finally dropped
for his doubters? It isn't favouritism, it's talent...
Mount has certainly earned his stripes. At just 22 years of age, he has
already racked up 16 years on Chelsea's books and refined his craft with
back-to-back season loan spells at Vitesse in the Eredivisie and Derby from
2017/18.
The Chelsea connection bloomed with the Rams under Lampard and, when the
academy prospect returned to Stamford Bridge, so too did Lampard to replace
Maurizio Sarri at the helm.
As was the case under Lampard, Mount quickly became a regular starter for
the Three Lions and there was a period of fan and media scrutiny over
Southgate's preference to play the Chelsea midfielder over Jack Grealish.
The doubters were, perhaps, champing at the bit to state their cases proven
when Thomas Tuchel replaced Lampard at Chelsea and benched Mount for his
first game in charge - a goalless draw against Wolves.
But, again, Tuchel turned to Mount for the next game and has not looked
back: his endorsement has, it seems, finally silenced the doubters...
In what areas does he excel?
This season, Mount leads the way at Chelsea across almost every meaningful
attacking metric, including goals, chances created and passes in the final
third in the Premier League.
In addition to his talents on the ball in front of goal, his defensive
qualities and work-rate - often cited by Southgate - are equally impressive,
ranking top at Chelsea for distance covered, recoveries in the attacking
third and second for tackles.
"He has that potential which you cannot learn," Tuchel told Sky Sports. "You
have the composure, you have the technique, you have the precision, you have
the feeling to score the goals or you don't have it.
Indeed, Mount has spurned only one clear-cut chance in the Premier League
this term - against Newcastle in November.
According to xG, almost all of Mount's efforts on goal this season were hard
to convert, epitomising his fearless approach and bold confidence - unique
qualities for a 22-year-old playing in England's top flight.
Has anything changed under Tuchel?
As was the case under Lampard, Mount remains Chelsea's talisman under
Tuchel's new regime and, as previously mentioned, has remained an
ever-present force since the German was appointed in January.
However, Tuchel has primarily deployed the England midfielder further up the
pitch and utilised the right flank - having typically marshalled the left in
deeper roles under Lampard.
That thrust upfield has helped boost his distribution and recoveries in the
final third - while his goal ratio has soared threefold - suggesting
Tuchel's preferred system with two holding midfielders has benefitted
Mount's attacking play.
The numbers provide ample evidence. Since Tuchel's appointment, Mount leads
the way for goals and chances created in the Premier League - while only
Timo Werner has provided more assists.
Indeed, the graphic below reveals Werner is the only player that has
averaged in more advanced positions than Mount since Lampard left the club,
while the striker has typically played a far deeper role to link the
inverted forwards and initiate breaks.
Mount's distribution also stretches the full spectrum - feeding team-mates
in every direction in almost equal measure, firing both long and short
passes, all while recording an above-average accuracy.
But where does Mount sit among the pool of prospects plying their trade in
Europe's top five leagues? In terms of goal involvements, the graphic below
reveals he belongs among the elite.
And remember: he has clocked half his game time as a deeper midfielder this
term, in addition to possessing defensive qualities, distribution and
work-rate unrivalled among many forwards who lead this list.
Mount will face one of his greatest challenges in his burgeoning career when
Chelsea face Real Madrid this Wednesday - to determine whether the Blues can
reach their first Champions League final in nine years and book a date with
Manchester City in Istanbul on May 29.
Could the 22-year-old raise the bar even higher with a club and
career-defining display on Europe's grand stage? The doubters have almost
certainly been silenced.
Tuchel: Mount is full package
Speaking after the 2-0 win over Fulham at Stamford Bridge on Saturday in
which Mount assisted the first of Kai Havertz's two goals, Chelsea manager
Thomas Tuchel showered praise on the England midfielder.
"He has the full package, mentally, in terms of talent and physically," said
Tuchel. "And the most important part is his character, he has his feet on
the ground and he's a nice guy.
"He comes to Cobham every day to learn something new and have new
experiences. He is the guy who can recover very fast, he's a very physical
player and is fully adapted to Premier League football.
"It's impressive, he's not affected by all the praise. This is maybe the
most important part. He seems to be a guy who likes the sport and feels an
obligation to make the most out of it. And he wants it absolutely badly, so
it's a top mix."
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