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Chelsea have not been at their best in the last few weeks and one player who has bore the brunt of fans' criticisms on social media has been Saul Niguez. The Spanish star has struggled to adapt to the Premier League and had a distastrous cameo off the bench during Chelsea's 1-1 draw against Everton.
Speaking to reporters about Saul's situation at Chelsea, Thomas Tuchel said:
"Does [Saul] feel that he is in the same role and responsibility as he had at Atletico? No, maybe not yet. Does he struggle? Yes, he struggles.
"Was he the first player to struggle in the Premier League? No and he won't be the last one. We protect our players and I will protect our players always. He played yesterday as a No.6, No.9 and as a wing-back.
"Is that fair to him? No, also it is not. Put it into context and you will have a more moderate picture and reaction. I understand people are disappointed after yesterday but reactions like this are the reasons why I am not involved on social media.
"It is why I protect myself and you can get carried away. I can only hope Saul does not read it and why should he? He knows what he needs to do to improve and he is doing everything."
Saul moved from Atletico Madrid to Chelsea on loan this summer. The versatile midfielder was seen as a good addition to the Blues' squad, but it is fair to say that the 27-year-old has been nowhere near his best this season.
However, Thomas Tuchel has not given up on the Spaniard completely:
"He struggles at the moment and we are still trying to find the best version of him and will not stop pushing."
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel will be hoping Saul finds form ahead of busy festive period
Chelsea have been struggling with injuries and Covid-19 recently. With a busy festive period coming up, Thomas Tuchel will need every member of his stretched squad to be at their best.
The likes of Liverpool and Manchester City are showing no signs of slowing down and Chelsea will need to up their game if they are to stay in the Premier League title race.
While Saul has struggled in the last few weeks, the Spaniard's versatality could come in handy for the depleted Chelsea side. The 27-year-old is definitely a good player and Chelsea fans will be hoping that Tuchel gets the best out of Saul for the remainder of the season.
