"We will absolutely focus on our strengths and the qualities that we absolutely have and build a team that nobody wants to play against." Thomas Tuchel's words after his first Chelsea match almost exactly 18 months ago still ring true. The Blues are further down the line than they were after a 0-0 draw against Wolves, but the same principles apply.
Since then, Tuchel has had to make do with what he inherited. A squad of ageing players, a fractured changing room. His determination to "hurt everybody in every league and competition" straight away was vital to the kickstart to his position that he had. Trying to "bring evidence of that as fast as possible" helped Chelsea to a previously impossible Champions League triumph.
Along that path though and Chelsea have become a moulded team, Tuchel now wants to undo that in a sense. He has had to let go of key defensive stalwarts Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen, Cesar Azpilicueta could shortly follow, and if Marcos Alonso left then only N'Golo Kante would have won the Premier League with Chelsea.
READ MORE: Sevilla boss Julen Lopetegui decision hints at Jules Kounde's Chelsea transfer being 'done deal'
The German now has the foundations of a very good squad, adding to that with experience and quality with Raheem Sterling and Kalidou Koulibaly has only heightened the strength of the side, even with the departures. The third man to add into Tuchel's plans is Jules Kounde.
As Chelsea move closer to bringing in the versatile and highly rated 23-year-old defender, the start of this sentence alone tells you why he is of such value to Tuchel. After being pursued for most of last summer, the closer the deal gets the more sense it makes and the more it becomes remarkable that Chelsea nearly walked away from him in favour of Nathan Ake.
Kounde is the younger version, the less established model, of Tuchel's vision. He's flexible, quick, technically brilliant. He can play the ball, dribble with it and has a fearless attitude that follows him onto the pitch. He might not have the immediate impact that 109 Premier League goals and four titles from Sterling will, there's also an expectation that Koulibaly's presence and physical dominance will be more commanding than him. But Kounde is in the same bracket of importance.
The German loves his sides to be problem solvers themselves, to be thinkers and adaptable. Kounde fits this bill. He allows Tuchel to not only move away from his often too rigid 3-4-2-1 and embrace a 4-3-3 or 4-4-2, but he inversely he is able to be a part of a secure backline that does have to play in a three man defence.
Despite being seen largely as an Azpilicueta replacement, an apt description, Kounde played only three matches in a back three this season and doesn't have the volume of experience on the right of a three man defence as many might expect.
In 2021/22 for Julen Lopetegui he has been used primarily in a four-man defence and as an orthodox centre half. This does mean that Tuchel could use him there and partner Koulibaly to help the size matchup, but he also offers cover for Reece James at right-back.
This doesn't make it certain that his main position will be as a right sided centre back, if anything it actually muddies the waters a bit, which is exciting as many expect a more fluid Chelsea this season and even more so one that spends less time in a back three.
On top of this, his few matches in a three-man defence have come on the left of the three more often than not, therefore creating even more cover for one of the weaker spots on the pitch at the moment. Of course, Tuchel will have his own plans for Kounde and they could even be as a wing-back in order to give James some more centre-back time of his own, something used as a tactical rarity more than a go-to system.
Kounde's expected incoming does give the manager more options than it first seems though, and instead of cementing the side into one fixed way of playing, the Frenchman actually broadens those options and could help to bring out the best in those around him.
READ NEXT:
