Winners and losers of Thomas Tuchel’s appointment as it is claimed new Chelsea manager will find out Mason Mount is ‘massive part’ of club

Thomas Tuchel's reign as Chelsea boss began with a draw on Wednesday as the Blues fought out a goalless stalemate with Wolves.

His appointment came just 24 hours before the match and had one training session before his side were in action at Stamford Bridge.

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The Blues were promising in parts but were unable to penetrate Wolves’ rigid back line and the spoils were deservedly shared.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the night came from Tuchel's team selection, with one of his predecessor's mainstays, Mason Mount, relegated to the bench.

Eyebrows were raised as Mount was a favourite of Frank Lampard's and has been one of Chelsea's star performers in what has been a disappointing campaign.

And former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara said Tuchel will soon find out the 22-year-old is one of his most important players.

He told talkSPORT: “I’d have to say they’re disappointed being the young lads and being a big part of it so far, but the new manager comes in and probably just wants to go with experience.

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“He’s had 24 hours of training and doesn’t know the attributes of Mason Mount and Tammy [Abraham].

“He knows [Olivier] Giroud and [Kai] Havertz and [Mateo] Kovacic.

“I think over the next month he will find out very quickly that Mason Mount is a massive part of everything Chelsea do. I think he’s a fantastic player.”

In light of O’Hara’s comments and Tuchel’s tenure at Stamford Bridge commencing and ahead of Burnley's visit on Sunday, marvelbet369.com has identified the potential winners and losers in Chelsea’s squad following his arrival...

Winners

Antonio Rudiger

Reports swirled that the 27-year-old was at the heart of the problems that lost Frank Lampard his job.

However, Tammy Abraham, among others, quashed those rumours on social media.

It is understood Tuchel was keen on signing Rudiger when he was PSG boss and his inclusion from the start against Wolves suggests he is now in favour again at Stamford Bridge.

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N'Golo Kante

The midfielder looks set to have a big role in Tuchel’s XI and he is now fully fit ahead of the Burnley clash this weekend.

Tuchel could not hide his delight at the opportunity to work with Kante, who has endured another season so far besieged by hamstring problems.

"I wanted many years to have N'Golo Kante in my team and now I have him here," he said after the Wolves stalemate.

Tuchel confirmed he sees Kante’s best position in a 'double six', meaning he would play at the base of the midfield with another defensive minded player - probably Kovacic or Jorginho.

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Callum Hudson-Odoi

It’s evident the youngster looks set to have a big role under the new boss at Stamford Bridge.

The 20-year-old was used in a variety of positions against Wolves  - including as both as right wing back and left wing back - and was the standout performer in the match.

He was warmly embraced by Tuchel after the match and looks to be held in high regard by his new manager.

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Kai Havertz

The 21-year-old is seen as the future of German football in his homeland and that puts him in good stead under compatriot Tuchel.

He got the full 90 minutes in the Wolves clash but once again failed to have a big impact in the game, though his header in the dying embers was going in and could have changed that narrative.

Lampard often substituted him when he did start and the fact he wasn’t could be a sign that he is a big part of Tuchel’s plans.

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Losers

Mason Mount

It is not yet clear whether Mount was being rested for the Wolves clash after ten consecutive starts under Lampard, or whether he just not seen as a starter following Tuchel's arrival.

This will become more clear with time, but his influence off the bench was clear for all to see.

The 22-year-old will be hoping he remains a mainstay in the Chelsea XI as England’s midfield options for Euro 2021 are extremely congested and he needs to be playing as much as possible.

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Billy Gilmour

It is understood the Scot could seek a last-minute loan move away from Chelsea this month after Tuchel's arrival.

The teenager impressed every time he was elevated to Chelsea's first team under Frank Lampard, but was left out of Tuchel’s squad entirely for the Wolves clash with the new manager opting for two left-backs (Marcos Alonso and Emerson Palmieri) on then bench instead.

Gilmour still wants to break into Scotland's senior squad in time for the summer's Euros, and will need regular football to advance his selection claims.

Tuchel insisted he doesn’t want to get rid of any players before the transfer deadline next week, but his squad is big and that could worryingly limit Gilmour’s first-team minutes.

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Kurt Zouma

Unfortunately for Zouma, Rudiger’s inclusion from the start vs Wolves does not look good for his first team minutes.

The Frenchman formed a solid partnership with Thiago Silva at the beginning of the season but has been named as a substitute during Chelsea’s last three matches.

Tuchel said his first line-up was ‘unfair’ on all the players in his squad given the little time he has had with them, but his German connection with Rudiger certainly doesn’t bode well for Zouma.

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