The
Blues
had
a
late
request
to
call
off
Sunday’s
league
clash
with
Wolves
rejected
amid
a
spate
of
absentees
due
to
coronavirus
and
injuries.
Chelsea
had
just
four
outfield
players
on
the
bench
at
Molineux
for
the
goalless
draw
as
they
dropped
points
for
the
third
time
in
four
top-flight
outings.
That
was
just
one
of
four
Premier
League
games
to
go
ahead
at
the
weekend,
with
six
others
postponed
as
clubs
continue
to
be
hit
by
COVID-19
cases
within
their
squads.
Tuchel
accused
league
officials
of
putting
the
welfare
of
players
at
risk
by
making
the
game
go
ahead
during
the
busiest
period
of
the
season
for
teams.
But
despite
concerns
also
being
raised
by
other
high-profile
figures,
a
decision
was
reached
on
Monday
for
the
schedule
to
continue
as
planned
over
Christmas
and
into
the
new
year.
Prior
to
taking
on
Aston
Villa,
Brighton
and
Hove
Albion
and
Liverpool
in
the
next
12
days,
Chelsea
first
have
an
EFL
Cup
quarter-final
with
Brentford
to
prepare
for
on
Wednesday
(December
22).
And
despite
still
being
without
a
number
of
first-team
players,
Tuchel
understands
the
difficult
position
clubs
and
organisers
are
in
to
ensure
games
go
ahead.
Premier
League
COVID-19
positives
surge
to
new
high
–
but
show
must
go
on
“I
understand
it
is
not
easy
to
postpone
games
but
for
isolated
situations
like
ours
[against
Wolves],
we
thought
we
had
a
strong
case,”
he
said
at
Tuesday’s
pre-match
news
conference.
“I
shared
my
thoughts
with
everybody,
and
we
accept
the
situation.
We
accepted
the
challenge,
and
we
will
accept
the
next
challenge.
“I
don’t
know
if
stopping
the
season
would
help
and
I
don’t
want
to
give
the
impression
I
have
the
solution.
It
was
my
thought
particularly
for
the
last
two
days
around
the
Wolves
game
and
coming
into
it.
That
was
my
concern.”
Tuchel
added:
“I
would
not
say
I’m
disappointed
at
the
decision.
I
think
it
would
have
been
too
easy.
I
don’t
have
a
solution
for
the
schedule.
I
don’t
know,
it
might
have
just
delayed
the
problem.
“There
are
clubs
who
suffer
a
lot.
We
suffer
very
much
at
the
moment
so
maybe
it
would
be
better
to
have
a
short
break,
but
I
do
not
have
a
solution
or
a
clear
opinion
of
what
we
can
do
for
everybody.”
Tuchel
confirmed
that
N’Golo
Kante
will
not
be
part
of
the
matchday
squad
to
face
Brentford,
while
Trevoh
Chalobah
and
Andreas
Christensen
are
fitness
doubts.
Those
to
have
tested
positive
for
coronavirus
last
week
will
also
remain
out,
with
the
exception
of
midfielder
Jorginho,
whose
test
was
a
false
positive.
A
number
of
Under-23s
players
have
trained
with
the
depleted
first
team
ahead
of
the
trip
to
Brentford
in
what
will
be
the
first
EFL
Cup
tie
between
the
London
clubs.
Asked
if
it
is
frustrating
Chelsea
cannot
field
their
strongest
line-up
on
Wednesday,
Tuchel
said:
“Yes,
because
we
are
so
competitive.
That’s
why
we
work
here,
that’s
what
made
them
Chelsea
players.
“I
absolutely
don’t
like
judging
the
importance
of
games
because
you
can
never
tell
what
that
can
do
to
you.
There
is
nothing
more
important
than
winning
and
fighting
the
fights
together.
“It
is
nothing
new
to
play
three
matches
in
a
week
but
without
nine
or
10
players,
it
is
challenging.
So,
we
struggle
a
little
bit,
but
we
find
solutions.”
Chelsea
have
progressed
from
their
past
three
EFL
Cup
quarter-final
ties,
doing
so
in
2014-15,
2017-18
and
2018-19.
The
Blues
have
also
won
six
of
their
past
seven
meetings
with
Brentford
in
all
competitions,
including
a
1-0
league
victory
at
the
Brentford
Community
Stadium
this
season.
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