Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has handed Everton a huge boost ahead of the Premier League opener between the two sides this weekend.
The Blues spent two weeks in the United States where they beat Club America before losing to Charlotte FC and Arsenal and then rounded off their pre-season with a trip to Italy where they beat Udinese on Friday. Tuchel and his squad now have the rest of this week to prepare for their trip to Goodison Park to kick off their 2022/2023 campaign.
It has been a summer of change at Stamford Bridge, with Todd Boehly’s takeover of the club the catalyst for the departure of Romelu Lukaku – on loan to Inter Milan – and the arrivals of Raheem Sterling and Kalidou Koulibaly. But Tuchel has handed Everton a huge boost ahead of the tie by providing a concerning diagnosis of his squad’s problems during an ‘exhausting’ tour across the pond, adding that they are ‘not ready’ for this weekend’s trip to Merseyside.
READ MORE: Idrissa Gueye has 'already accepted' Everton offer as major transfer claim made
READ MORE: Marco Silva makes Farhad Moshiri claim about his Everton sacking
"It was a pretty long pre-season. Tiring and exhausting to be in the US for so long, and having to travel again today under the circumstances is not so easy, pretty demanding." Tuchel said. "After this weekend we prepare for nothing else other than Everton. The season is right in front of the door.
"There is a lot of positive stuff but we need to improve. We are not ready yet. We don't have to be ready yet. We have another week and then it is time to be on the best level. It is always nice when the season arrives. We will have this week There is still some way to go."
Chelsea were some way short of the side that won the Champions League just over a year ago during their 4-0 defeat to a vibrant Arsenal, with a shorter summer break made worse by the long trip to the United States. Many of Tuchel’s squad had their 2021/2022 campaign extended significantly by international football, leaving just over one month between the end of last season and the first friendly this summer.
The London club won’t have fond memories of a trip to Goodison, with last season’s clash in May resulting in a crucial 1-0 win for Frank Lampard’s side which set them on the way to securing Premier League survival. The Toffees will be without the goalscorer that night after selling Richarlison to Tottenham for £50million.
Everton boss Lampard may be inclined to hand out debuts to any of his three summer signings in James Tarkowski, Ruben Vinagre, and Dwight McNeil. This week may even see arrivals from Stamford Bridge, with Blues duo Ross Barkley and Michy Batshuayi linked with a move to Goodison.
READ NEXT
