Chelsea’s last three results pretty much summarise their season so far. A kamikaze 4-1 win against a Spurs side with 9 men which could have been a loss or a draw. Their thrilling 4-4 draw with reigning Champions Manchester City showed the attacking verve and threat that Pochettino’s young side are capable of posing, as well as their vulnerability defensively. Their 4-1 loss to Newcastle showed naivety. The question is when will Chelsea piece everything together? We caught up with Liverpool icon John Barnes who has been keeping a keen eye on the Blues.
In this article:
- Armando Broja deserves a chance
- Osimhen ideal Chelsea signing
- Are referees too eager to discipline?
- Silva still valuable despite turning 39
Armando Broja Deserves A Chance
Since signing with the Blues this summer for a reported £32 million, Nicholas Jackson has had the chance to establish himself as Chelsea’s number nine. Jackson netted 12 goals in 26 appearances for Villarreal last season, ending the season with eight goals in as many games.
Although Jackson has scored seven goals in 15 games, he has demonstrated that there is still a long way for him to become the number nine Chelsea desperately needs. Fans are starting to wonder whether Armando Broja should be given more opportunities to start games for Chelsea ahead of Jackson. A premise that Barnes is keen to see.
“Broja has been at Chelsea for a few seasons now and has shown good potential.
“I saw him play at Southampton when he was on loan. He’s both quick and strong. He’s not a natural finisher or number 9 because if he was he would be scoring more goals when you look at the other great attributes he has.
“If Jackson’s not doing it then you have someone there but I think long term they will have to get a centre forward that’s going to guarantee them 25-30 goals a season. At this moment in time Broja deserves a go.”
Osimhen Ideal Chelsea Signing
Whilst Chelsea attempt to address their striker issues internally, they have been linked with a move for Napoli forward Victor Osimhen. The Nigerian international is reportedly at the top of Chelsea’s striker list. Osimhen’s future in Italy is uncertain following a dispute with the club, despite scoring 26 goals in 32 matches last season and contributing to Napoli’s Serie A title win. Barnes thinks he would be an excellent signing for the Blues as Pochettino aims to progress in the Todd Bohely era.
“He would absolutely be a great signing. A few teams are after him because he scores a lot of goals.
“If Chelsea can get him he won’t be the last piece of the jigsaw but he’ll score goals and always has done. He would be a great signing for Chelsea.”
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Are Referees Too Eager To Discipline?
Chelsea have accumulated 16 yellow cards in their last three matches, raising questions about whether Mauricio Pochettino should be concerned about their apparent lack of discipline at times this season. This concern is particularly relevant considering how the Blues faltered following Reece James’ dismissal against Newcastle last weekend.
“I don’t necessarily think it’s a lack of discipline because yellow and red cards are dished out for very little these days. At the end of the day it’s football and you still have to be aggressive.
“We know Pochettino’s teams like to be aggressive and front footed so they may be mistiming tackles but I don’t think it’s a lack of discipline.
“Refereeing now is crazy in terms of the bookings and reds being handed out.
“In football these days, if you referee to the letter of the law and don’t allow any leniency then you’ll get a lot of these issues.”
Silva Still Valuable Despite Turning 39
Doubt continues to surround the future of Chelsea’s centre-back Thiago Silva. The Brazilian defender, having had a stellar career, has been invaluable to Chelsea both on and off the pitch. Despite being 39 years old, Barnes believes Silva can still play a key role for this Chelsea team.
“We know the age he is and the wages he’s on. If they feel he’s still capable of playing at the highest level and is good around the training ground then possibly.
“He may not start every week but he’s been fantastic for Chelsea.”
