Huddersfield Town boss David Wagner has explained the reasoning behind his half-time switch against Chelsea.
With Town trailing 2-0, the head coach chose to take off busy midfielder Alex Pritchard and replace him with striker Laurent Depoitre, who played alongside Steve Mounie.
“First of all, I was not happy with the situation where we wanted to keep them away from our goal, when we conceded the second goal,” said Wagner, who later sent on new signing Adama Diakhaby for Chris Lowe.
“With the pace and power of Stevie (Mounie) and Lolo (Depoitre) and with a further forward man for set play, I thought we could make more pressure on them.
“It took 20 to 25 minutes before we were able to do it – then we’ve seen why we made the decision.”
Wagner had praise for midfielder Phil Billing and felt Town just didn’t get any luck.
“I thought Phil Billing played very well,” said the boss.
“He had a very good pre-season and he was able to bring this form into the first game of the Premier League – like the whole team, to be totally honest, in terms of effort and passion.
“We saw some great battles all over the park and everybody was on it.
“I think the players have done everything, left everything on the grass, but we were unlucky in the key situations.”
Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri was delighted to start Premier League life with a victory, although the difference in physicality and refereeing is going to take some getting used to.
Just 28 days after being belatedly confirmed as Antonio Conte’s successor, the Italian got his first taste of the English top-flight.
Chelsea had to dig deep early on but went in at the break with a two-goal cushion thanks to N’Golo Kante and summer signing Jorginho.
Pedro wrapped up the win after star turn Eden Hazard came off the bench.
“I am really very happy because in the first part of the season I think that for us it is not easy to gain points,” the Chelsea boss said.
“The first half was hard. If you look at the result, you can think about an easy game, but in the first half we were in trouble for 15 minutes against a very physical team.
“We are not a physical team and I think the best of the game is the capacity of suffering for 15 minutes.
“Then I think in the second half the opponents were a bit tired and it was easier.”
Comparing the Premier League to Serie A, Sarri added: “From the physical point of view, it’s different.
“For the referees, it is different. Really different.
“With an Italian referee maybe there were 15 fouls more than with this referee.”
Asked if he can replicate Napoli’s style at Chelsea, Sarri, who appeared to gnaw on some kind of cigarette during the game, added: “No, I have to know the characteristics of the players because I think I don’t want to do another Naples.
“I want to do a good Chelsea.
“I have to respect the characteristics of the players, I have to adapt myself to the characteristics of the championship and of the players, so now I am studying my players.”
