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Chelsea continue to get better with every game. Since winning the UEFA Champions League title last season, the Blues haven’t looked back at all.
Thomas Tuchel’s side returned from the international break on Saturday to inflict a 3-0 defeat on Aston Villa.
In truth, Chelsea looked a bit rusty and didn’t really dominate the game as expected. But they still managed to get the job done in the end.
The mark of a great team is to master the art of winning even when they don’t play well and Chelsea did that perfectly against Dean Smith’s side.
Lukaku double sinks Aston Villa
Chelsea’s desperate attempt to sign Romelu Lukaku has already been justified by the striker’s goal return after just three matches.
The big Belgian was the star of the show, scoring two goals to help the Blues to the victory. The result is certainly not a true reflection of the game but Chelsea were at their clinical best.
Their opening goal was a half-chance: Mateo Kovacic played a cross-field pass to Lukaku, who made the most of it by turning his marker inside out before firing a right-footed shot into the net.
Kovacic went from provider to scorer when he took advantage of a failed Tyrone Mings back pass to make it 2-0. Lukaku then rounded up the scoring with a marvelous strike at the death.
The Blues have lacked a striker with the attributes of Lukaku for a very long time but now they have exactly what they need to come out unscathed even in difficult matches.
Tuchel’s strong convictions keep Blues unbeaten
It is no fluke that Tuchel has managed to change Chelsea's fortunes within such a short period. The German manager has strong convictions and has always stuck by them.
He picks players based on form and, as long as you play well, you’ll be given a chance. His decision to take off debutant Saul Niguez after the midfielder’s horror show in the first half typifies the kind of manager he is.
He has no time for sentiment and is always ready to make big decisions no matter who is involved.
“It was absolutely not comfortable. We played against a strong Aston Villa side, who were well prepared,” Tuchel said after the game, as quoted by Chelsea's official website.
“They looked sharp from the start and caused us a lot of problems. We had to block a lot of shots and be wary at set-pieces, because they are strong.
“I thought defensively we were very strong and did what we needed to do. Then in the second half, we were better. We were in control a lot more, we were a lot more fluid and we took our chances well.”
Chelsea remain one of just five teams who are still unbeaten in the Premier League and currently sit joint-top of the table, alongside Manchester United. Without Tuchel’s strong convictions, though, this would never have been possible.
