Maurizio Sarri doesn’t use travel problems as an excuse for slow performance

Chelsea’s return from an already draining midweek trip to Greece was made even worse by travel delays that meant the team couldn’t even fly till Friday morning.

The team looked tired and sluggish in long periods of their match against West Ha, which they ended up drawing 0-0 despite creating some decent chances, and Maurizio Sarri could easily have attributed some of that slowness to the unexpected disruption midweek.

But The Evening Standard had his quotes from after the game, and when asked about whether that delay had affected his side, he was loathe to say yes.

“I don’t know. I don’t think so,” the Italian said when asked whether it had affected them.

“In this period of the season, I don’t think so. After seven matches only. It’s very difficult to play in the Europa League, but more difficult in March and April, not now.

His point is that the players are just 7 games into the new season, and have no reason to be tired – and he would know better than us.

Some fans have criticised the new manager for failing to rotate the team more completely against PAOK, but Eden Hazard didn’t even travel and he looked out of sorts too.

Chelsea News