TV presenter and football pundit Paul Merson has ripped apart Chelsea and their inability to dominate games in midfield in the absence of N’Golo Kante and Nemanja Matic.
While speaking to SkySports, Merson said that Chelsea have failed to replicate the performances put out by Kante and Matic last season.
“The main thing that concerns me is if N’Golo Kante doesn’t play they are like Arsenal without the ball.
“When Kante and Nemanja Matic played last season they just won it back so quickly.
“I like Tiemoue Bakayoko but it is going to take him a lot of time to adapt and Cesc Fabregas is great for his passing and guile but he’s a liability when they don’t have the ball.
“I don’t think they are title contenders and I think if they can get in the top four, win the FA Cup and get to the quarter-finals of the Champions League then that would represent a good season.
“From what I saw on Tuesday night they’ve got no chance of winning the Champions League though.
“I thought they were excellent in beating Atletico Madrid but what has happened to them in the last few weeks has put that into perspective.”
And we have no other option but to agree with Merson on this point.
Without Matic and Kante, Chelsea look like school boys who are running around the pitch trying to get possession of the ball. After Kante got injured last month, Chelsea dominance in midfield has literally gone out of the window. Since the Frenchman has been sidelined, Chelsea have lost two games and conceded 11 goals in six games.
The manager has claimed in his press conference today that Kante is racing against time to get fit for Sunday’s clash against Manchester United.
