Chelsea's attacking players are dissatisfied with Thomas Tuchel's handling of them.
On Wednesday, the German coach celebrated a year in command at Stamford Bridge after winning the Best FIFA Men's Coach Award for 2021 last week.
However, things haven't been quite as rosy on the pitch this season, with the win over Tottenham on Sunday only their second in eight Premier League games.
Following striker Romelu Lukaku's public questioning of Tuchel's tactics during a Sky Italia interview in December, the Belgian was benched for one game before being recalled. However, according to The Athletic, Lukaku is far from the lone striker dissatisfied with life under the present manager.
Tuchel's attitude toward his forwards, which includes continual berating on the touchline and harsh words for blunders, is said to have put them in a bad mood.
Many of them have picked up on his inability to disguise his frustrations, and others have become so enraged that they are considering leaving Chelsea in the near future.
According to the publication, it has had a negative influence on confidence, with players being less willing to take risks or trust their instincts for fear of Tuchel retaliating. The frequent chopping and changing in frontline selection is also cited as a source of disillusionment among forwards, with the idea that the lack of a stable frontline makes it difficult for them to create any kind of connection or chemistry on the field.
Tuchel's demeanour toward some members of his squad has been noticeable during his time on the bench this season.
Despite their unfamiliarity with the role, Christian Pulisic and Callum Hudson-Odoi have both been transformed to wing backs by the 48-year-old, and both appear to come in for dressing downs on the touchline from their head coach. Hakim Ziyech is one of the players who has struggled for form this season, but the 28-year-old has found it tough to settle in after being in and out of the club.
He refused to celebrate his goal against Brighton earlier this month, but he didn't repeat his message after scoring against Tottenham on Sunday in a standout display.
Timo Werner's problems up front for Chelsea have been well documented since his big-money move from RB Leipzig, but he has failed to find regular playing time. He and fellow German Kai Havertz were signed for £124 million, but they have only played together once this season, in a 3-2 win over Leeds in December. Both began last year's Champions League final victory over Manchester City.
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