Scintillating. Football. To. Watch!

Full throttle right from the outset.
That was the standard in and out of possession...passing, high tempo/intensity and fluid movements that we need to retain (I'm not sure If it can be replicated with Lukaku in the team, definitely not with Timo unless his technical quality drastically evolves).
Sensational aesthically pleasing, swashbuckling football which gets one off their seat! Tuchel right to be extremely happy with the performance.

Top performers -
James
Hudson-Odoi
Barkley
Kante
Havertz


Naturally had my reservations about Barkley starting...however the position in which TT started him which was a number 10 behind split strikers Kai & Cal had a throughly good game, strong approach play.
Still riddled with holding onto the ball longer than is necessary and failed to test the keeper when presented with golden opportunities, mind.


Kai got a well-deserved goal and monkey off his back, deserving of his strenuous effort off the ball in and around the box these past matches. Which he doesn't get plaudits for but a certain inefficient German gets copious amount of credit for this.
Much more productive in possession and stays on onside.


The deftness of Kante' touches & (incisive) passes in possession were exquisite, absolutely crucial in our phase of play and playing through the press.
Don't ever let any loon tell you that you're not technically adept!

The narrative that those Kante facets especially his passing wasn't good enough prior to TT taking over is a fallacy.
Those dimensions haven't suddenly improved...always possessed some fine passing particularly in the big matches when needed to make them (which gets overlooked), along with his obvious exceptional ball-winning ability...
A different breed, with a better passing range and variety to his game than all of our current midfielders.


There isn't a better sight than watching Reece maurade down the right or in the middle. Reece is the epitome of footballing excellence.
Built for the new hybrid role.
Conducive to everything Tuchel is looking to achieve from that position...in terms of overlapping, underlapping, playing/building out from the back and stepping into midfield.
Infinitely better/bigger attacking threat connecting with Callum on the pitch.
Lovely to watch Reece & Cal carrying the threat...combining and interchanging, much like with Cals' connection on the other side with Chill...authentic and silky smooth (which has always been the case), not surprising given they've played together since their formative academy days and Callum is a master at forging relationships and chemistry with any player. Burnley had no idea how to counter the threat.
Technical quality on full display again.

Once again Cal even as a "split striker" with less touches on the ball provided much needed creative spark, prowess, the chief creative force with & without the ball. Influential presence in taking opposition players out of the game...Manufactures chances out of nothing, which very few can.
3 big chances created (5 key passes) highest - https://video.twimg.com/ext_tw_video/1457070018915717121/pu/vid/1024x580/ZeA0XdDLrzM8L1YA.mp4
Those type of spurned big-chances are what is preventing Callum' direct contributions from being amongst the best, happens all the time. No coincidence that the moment he starts matches, we've created and scored at a higher rate as an attacking outfit...catalyst in attack.
As long as Cal plays...free-flowing fotballing will materalise, first name of the team-sheet; It's that simple.
Tuchel made a monumentual error subbing him off.
Lost the attacking threat, edge, momentum and dynamic from open play once Cal was subbed.

Abomination that his qualities have been ignored for so long in forward positions (and only took injuries for him to finally get a run), when he's demonstrably our most conducive attacking option in any possible fluid system Tuchel deploys. The rest pale in comparison. None are a patch on him in terms of smarts, speed of thought, decision-making and end-product (not Pulisic, not Ziyech and never Timo).

He's the only one that has unfairly had to make sacrifices or "take one for the team" as TT puts it, by playing in unfavoured position...yet still head and shoulders above the rest.
So far ahead of the rest in capacity, output & levels despite never having an extended run of starts (in favoured position) up until now & being the least experienced...It's scary.
Closest on talent level to Hazard, with a vastly better application & mental fortitude. A phenomenom that ticks a hell of alot of boxes. Complete.
(Misplaced trust, patience, preferential treatment in unmerited starters is unfathomable).

Enjoyed the little shimmy roll on the ball to fool the defender, then the resulting shot with his left...Pope conjuring up bloody good saves stopped him from getting on the scoresheet with his half-chances.
Birthday goal was close, but no cigar