If there is one player who has benefitted as much if not more than most since Thomas Tuchel took the reins at Stamford Bridge then it is Marcos Alonso.
The 30-year-old felt the wrath of former head coach Frank Lampard early on this season and following a reported dressing room bust-up with the ex-manager at halftime of Chelsea match versus West Brom.
With the Blues losing 3-0 at the break, Alonso was one of two substitutions made by Lampard, and that was the last football the Spaniard played until Tuchel's revolution began.
“Was it frustrating not playing? Yes, of course. I was not getting many chances. It was tough," said Alonso.
“But this is football. Sometimes it is like this. All you can do is keep working hard, keep training and try to be ready for when the chance comes.
“When I am on the pitch it is easier. When I used to stay home it was not easy to help the team.
“But I’m very happy to get involved and to be able to help the team and I’m looking forward to more of this.”
Since Tuchel took the Chelsea job Alonso has once again become a regular in the Chelsea team. The 30-year-old has been involved during six of Tuchel's nine league games and proof he is the German's go-to in that position came when Alonso got the nod in the Champions Last-16 tie against Atletico Madrid.
Alonso was awarded the man-of-the-match award in Chelsea's last game, a 2-0 home win against Everton and he is very much enjoying his win-back role in the side Tuchel has given him:
“He gives me the freedom to go forward. Yes. When you are controlling the game like we did today it gives you a little bit more freedom,
“And I am always happy to help the team. If we control the game like we did against Everton, it is not easy to go through the middle.
“So I like to do these runs from wide to inside and I’m happy that I got an assist. I was close to scoring but I have to keep working. Hopefully the next one will go in.”
With Leeds up next in the league and then the return leg against Atletico Madrid in the space of five Alonso knows the importance of continuing the fine ten-game unbeaten run since Tuchel took over:
“We need to take advantage of this momentum now and try to keep winning games and get closer to the top. We are doing well.
“Of course we need to enjoy the momentum, but we need to know the only way to arrive at this point is to keep working hard.
“That’s what we have been doing and that’s what we have to keep doing, to keep winning games.”
