Chelsea: Tuchel focused on how he's 'all on his own' with 'flight' excuse, claims Age Fjortoft

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel was slammed for his 'silly' excuses by ESPN pundit Jan Age Fjortoft following the Blues' loss on Sunday.

Chelsea were left humiliated by Leeds United at Elland Road as they suffered a 3-0 defeat during a masterful performance from the hosts.

The Blues fell behind after 33 minutes when goalkeeper Edouard Mendy gifted the ball to Brenden Aaronson to score.  Rodrigo doubled Leeds' advantage four minutes later when he headed in a free-kick from Jack Harrison, who netted himself in the second half before Kalidou Koulibaly was sent off with six minutes to go.

However, Tuchel bizarrely blamed a cancelled flight for Chelsea's humiliating defeat at Elland Road, refusing to give Leeds any credit for the way they dismantled his side.

ESPN FC pundits ripped into the Blues boss for his excuse as they insisted he should have complimented Jesse Marsch's side.

Age Fjortoft slammed Tuchel's 'silly' excuse as he claimed the manager was using the media to issue demands from the club.

Speaking on ESPN FC, he said: 'I felt that Thomas Tuchel after the game could have maybe given one compliment to Leeds United because that game, the energy and intensity of that game, was excellent. The goals well taken. I don't like that.

'As a leader I always admire Tuchel because he showed in Paris and Dortmund that he can handle those kind of situations. But talking about the plane today that is just silly.

'I don't know who he is talking to and I consider myself quite wise but when I listened to that I heard just a defensive coach who doesn't want to praise Leeds United for a great win and that is not worthy of Chelsea. Chelsea should say when they're 3-0 down and great taken goals. So deservedly losing today.

'He's speaking about how nobody helps me, I'm all on my own and blah blah blah, sitting in his golden prison. The manager there using the media to speak to internal things. I think that's what Tuchel is doing now, he's putting pressure on people to get him a striker.'

Co-pundit Craig Burley agreed as he insisted the issue with the plane 'has nothing to do' with the players' poor performance.

'Chelsea had to expect Leeds at home, pressing high, pressing quick, lots of energy, getting around them,' he said. 'They had to expect that was going to happen.

'You can't legislate for the mistake that the goalkeeper made but that being said that wasn't the only part of the game that was faltering for Chelsea.

'And he can have all the excuses he wants, Thomas Tuchel, about the plane didn't come yesterday to take my players up.

'That's not ideal preparation, I understand that, but why the hell he brought it up because it's got nothing to do with the players' performance, it's got nothing to do with Edouard Mendy making a mistake and this was all about Leeds, a team who a lot of us thought could be a tight one again for relegation and it might be but this is a huge shot in the arm.'

Leeds manager Marsch responded to Tuchel's bizarre excuses himself after the game as he said: 'He can have his opinion but our way of playing dictated the match almost entirely. It made them make mistakes.'