Thomas Tuchel will assess his frontmen and then finalise summer plans for his attack.
Penny for the thoughts of Timo Werner, Olivier Giroud and Tammy Abraham, then.
In the two games which have followed Tuchel’s declaration that he is examining his options, all three recognised strikers have started on the bench. Instead, Tuchel has opted for a frontline of Kai Havertz, flanked by Mason Mount and Christian Pulisic.
Chelsea already had control of this tie against Porto after winning the first leg 2-0. But who Tuchel picked last night to get them through in Seville remained significant. His team still had a job to do to confirm their place in a first semi-final since 2014.
The selection was certainly notable for Werner. This was only the second time all season he has been left out of successive games. Werner, Abraham and Giroud have all had their opportunities under Tuchel.
The latter two, in particular, have fair grounds to argue they have not been given enough time, however. Equally, it was hard to challenge Tuchel’s decision to keep faith with the combination who thrived in Chelsea’s best attacking display under their new manager at Crystal Palace on Saturday.
‘The front three did very good but it is already in the past,’ said Tuchel after that game. ‘The challenge is to show up again.’
On Tuesday night, Tuchel’s trio saw far less of the ball in dangerous territory than they had enjoyed at Selhurst Park.
Pulisic spent much of the game picking himself up off the turf, repeatedly on the wrong end of Porto’s physical approach. At one stage, Havertz was in his own six-yard box heading away a corner.
But on the rare occasions they had the opportunity to attack, Mount, Havertz and Pulisic were always ready to raid forward.
All three can travel with the ball at speed and they combine well. This ensured Chelsea maintained a threat while their defensive colleagues kept Porto at arms’ length.
It also meant Werner, Giroud and Abraham were left waiting for their next opportunity once again.
Source: m.allfootballapp.com