Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel does not believe his side are yet to reach the ‘highest level’ despite their win against Everton.
The Blues travelled to Goodison Park on Saturday evening in search of their first three points of the season, a ground they hadn’t won at since 2017.
A penalty from Jorginho deep into added time at the end of the first half was enough for Chelsea to secure the 1-0 win, with the Italian converting from the spot after Ben Chilwell was fouled in the area.
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Little happened in the second half for the Blues as Everton continued to apply the pressure, but the visiting defence did well to hold off the threats throughout the match.
A quartet of players made their competitive debuts for the club, with Raheem Sterling, Kalidou Koulibaly, Marc Cucurella and Conor Gallagher all featuring at some point during the game.
After the match, Tuchel revealed his belief that his side are not yet at their best despite their hard-fought win on the road in Merseyside.
"We are not on the highest level,” he told Sky Sports.
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“Players came in late. Pre-season was turbulent. We had high training last week. We had not enough movement on the ball, more ball losses.
“Strange second half. 10 minutes extra time in the end, strange.
"We hang in and kept a clean sheet so from here we go. We struggled last season to get points. We have them.
“A win is a win, it's the most important. We have to get better."
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The German boss later added: “It was maybe not the most exciting Premier League game.
“Seven minutes of extra time in the first half, ten minutes in the second half tells the story. Lots of interruptions and no team could find the rhythm.
“We struggled with the moments, to feel the moments, for the change of speed and switch of play. We didn't maybe want to take the risk in the final 25 metres.
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“We didn't have enough movement on the ball in the second half and that didn't create enough ball losses. The ball was stuck between the halves.”
Sterling and Koulibaly were the new signings who started for the Blues and both impressed on their debuts, although the latter had to be substituted late on due to cramp.
Cucurella, who signed from Brighton on Friday, was brought on in the latter stages, as well as Gallagher, who has now featured for the club for the first time since coming through the academy.
Chelsea's season is now up and running, with a home test against Tottenham Hotspur to come next weekend.
Topics: Thomas Tuchel, Chelsea, Everton, Premier League, Football
Robert Calcutt