'I think he took it too quick' - Thomas Tuchel felt Anthony Taylor should have taken longer over Reece James red card
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Updated 28/08/2021 at 20:48 GMT
“So I cannot praise the team enough for the resilience," Thomas Tuchel said following his side's 1-1 draw with Liverpool at Anfield. "I don’t know if there are harder stadiums in the world than City and Anield to go one man down." Chelsea played the second half with 10 men after Reece James' red card.
'It spoils the game' - Tuchel accepts but disagrees with red card
Thomas Tuchel has praised his Chelsea side for the way they responded to going down to 10 men, and felt the decision to dismiss Reece James was too quick.
Chelsea dominated Liverpool in the first half at Anfield on Saturday, and took a deserved lead through a Kai Havertz header.
The balance of the contest shifted on the stroke of half-time, as James was sent off for a handball on the line. Mo Salah slotted home the penalty that followed, but the Reds failed to go on and win the game as Chelsea delivered a brilliant defensive performance.
Commenting on the display of his side, Tuchel said: "Fantastic. I saw a strong first half against a strong Liverpool side.
In the last second of the first half we conceded a penalty, red card, and need to exchange N’Golo Kante for injury and suddenly the world is upside down.
“So I cannot praise the team enough for the resilience. I don’t know if there are harder stadiums in the world than City and Anfield to go one man down.
“The first 10 minutes (of the second half) felt like this will never end, and then the next 30 minutes was like ‘oh, maybe we can create a chance and score one’, and the last five was hopefully we survive and take a point.
"The teamwork and resilience was fantastic. It was pure will, a team effort at its very best.
Referee Anthony Taylor elected to award a penalty and show James the red card after consulting the pitch-side monitor.
By the letter of the law, Taylor was correct but Tuchel was concerned the official was too quick to make his decision.
“I don’t like these red cards in football, as nobody in the stadium and on the TV wants to watch a game for 45 minutes 11 against 10,” Tuchel told Sky Sports. “It spoils the game.
“I have no solution for it. Maybe it is a red card, but in general these early red cards, the whole game is spoiled.
We were just a bit worried that he was looking at a photo, and a photo gives a clear image that it is a penalty and red card.
“I would have liked a longer check, to see the whole situation where it gets deflected.
“I am not blaming him for taking the decision, but for me I think he took it too quick.”
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