Thomas Tuchel has admitted making too many changes to his Chelsea side cost them the game against Arsenal.
The Blues fell to a disappointing 1-0 defeat at home to Arsenal on Wednesday night with Emile Smith Rowe scoring the game’s only goal.
Tuchel made seven changes to the side that beat Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium at the weekend with one eye firmly on Saturday’s FA Cup final against Leicester City.
Speaking after the defeat, Tuchel conceded he had made a mistake in making so many changes – also suggesting he had fears over certain players coming into the match after recent training sessions.
Tuchel told Sky Sports: ‘We could not put up the same intensity and energy as usual.
‘It is on me, I think it was too many changes from the last match and I take full responsibility for that and maybe it is the last wake up call for all of us.’
He added: ‘I felt it coming a little bit yesterday in training and I’m a bit unlucky that it has proven today on the pitch.
‘I regret that, but it’s like this. It’s ‘we could have, we could have, we could have’, but we didn’t and that’s what it’s all about.’
Defeat drags Chelsea firmly back into a battle for a top four finish.
Following their FA Cup meeting with Leicester, they head to the King Power Stadium for their penultimate league match of the season next Tuesday.
MORE : Thomas Tuchel says ‘totally lucky’ Arsenal did not ‘deserve’ win over Chelsea
MORE : Jamie Redknapp singles out Emile Smith Rowe as ‘the best player on the pitch’ against Chelsea
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