Chelsea
head coach Thomas Tuchel said Saturday's 2-2 draw with Wolves "felt like a
defeat" after witnessing his players "play like they were 2-0 down rather
than 2-0 up" in the closing stages at Stamford Bridge.
Visiting captain Conor Coady rescued a point with an added-time header for
Wolves to stun the Blues, who had stormed into a 2-0 second-half lead
through Lukaku's double.
Incoming Chelsea owner Todd Boehly was on hand at Stamford Bridge just hours
after signing a purchase agreement to buy the west London club from Roman
Abramovich.
The 46-year-old US tycoon was left bemused by VAR, delighted by Lukaku's
return to form - his first league goals since December - and then deflated
by the Blues allowing a winning position to slip away.
Chelsea's club-record £98m signing Lukaku's double should have won the day
for the Blues but Wolves had other ideas, with Francisco Trincao and then
Coady turning the match on its head.
Tuchel said: "Of course [it feels like a defeat]. We started both halves
very well and controlled the match with a very offensive approach to this
game today with a 5-3-2 formation.
"We knew about the risk to avoid counter-attacks and we needed to show
discipline. We did for most parts of the first half but in situations, we
took too much risk and lost discipline in the formation.
"That cost us some dangerous moments at the end of the first half when we
were lucky not to concede."
Trincao's fine 18-yard effort dragged Wolves back into the contest, with the
22-year-old fearing he had blown it by skewing wide from an even better
chance.
Coady came to his team-mate and Wolves' rescue, however, nodding home
Chiquinho's cross to floor a stupefied Chelsea.
Lukaku's first league goals since the 1-1 home draw with Brighton on
December 29 took him to 14 for the season in all competitions and into an
outright lead as the Blues' top scorer.
That double should also have driven Chelsea to one big stride towards
Champions League qualification - but Wolves showed their battling qualities
to earn a point.
Tuchel continued: "I reminded the team to execute the match plan with more
precision and we did this to go 2-0 up but then we took more risks. We
invited the counter-attacks and big chances. When you do this, you lose
confidence and you invite the opponents to smell that something is possible
when it is absolutely unnecessary.
"It is not about dropping too low but about the ball structure and losing it
in key positions. The opponents had nothing to lose and we had huge chances
to score the third goal. The passes were missing and the dribbling was
wrong. In some points, we played like we were 2-0 down and not 2-0 up.
"We tried to respond to it by changing the structure. I don't know if that
was the right decision from me but it was a lack of discipline and execution
of the match plan."
Boehly looked confused while both sets of fans vented frustrations with the
clunky technology through expletive-laden chants.
Los Angeles Dodgers co-owner Boehly's consortium is only Premier League and
Government approval from taking the Stamford Bridge helm, with Abramovich
set to sell the Blues after 19 years owning the west London club.
The new Chelsea supremo was only minutes away from revelling in victory but
instead was left as stunned as the Blues players that the hosts had failed
to wrap up the win.
Tuchel added: "I don't think the ownership is a reason for a lack of focus.
I don't think there is a lack of focus. We showed focus during the situation
when it began. I wouldn't consider this as an advantage now for the match
against Leeds. It doesn't change much for us as the sanctions haven't been
lifted and the season goes on.
"It seems like the situation has been resolved but it's not. We've got our
own things to address, which we haven't done as a team so far.
"I heard the news today in the morning when I was in the middle of preparing
for the match. There has been no difference to what I do which is the best
preparation for the match, no matter what's happening on the outside. I have
my routine and I have enough to do. It doesn't affect me, but the news is
positive and we need it to be resolved."
Roberts: Coady is Wolves through and
through
Wolves goalkeeper coach Tony Roberts (who stood in for Bruno Lage after he
tested positive for Covid-19) said: "The dressing room is positive. To come
here and to hold the European champions, the FA Cup finalists, and to go two
goals behind, it's unbelievable.
"The boys are disappointed we've not won it. We've been to Man Utd and
Tottenham and won but we feel we should have had all three here but for a
mad five minutes.
"We've been through a bad patch but we spoke during the week about the
strength and the spirit of the group. To go until the 96th minute shows how
strong they are. We want to collect as many points as we can to qualify for
Europe.
"Bruno was watching at the training ground and he was making the decisions.
He thought about bringing on pace, power and athleticism. Chiquinho just
runs at people and causes problems and we know about the quality of
Trincao's finishing The subs were massive for us in getting the point."
On Coady's influence, Roberts added: "He is Wolves through and through. He's
the captain and the leader. He drives the players to get better every day in
training. He's the voice piece on the pitch for the manager. I think he's
scored four goals now this season given he hadn't scored many before if at
all so we're very happy with him.
"We're working hard every day - the manager drives it every day with his
philosophy. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Every team in the
league is the same. We've got 50 points and we want to get into Europe as
we've been there before. That's our aim."
What's next?
Chelsea's next challenge is a trip to Leeds United on Wednesday night, which
is live on Sky Sports Premier League; kick-off 7.30pm. The Blues then have
the FA Cup final with Liverpool three days later before ending the season
with two straight home league games against Leicester City and Watford.
Wolves now turn their attention to hosting title-chasing Manchester City on
Wednesday night, which is live on Sky Sports Premier League; kick-off
8.15pm. Bruno Lage's side host Norwich on May 15 before going to Liverpool
on the final day of the season seven days later.
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