Chelsea were “battered” by Brighton during their 3-0 loss to Brighton on Friday Night Football at the Amex, says Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher, as he laid bare a long list of problems for Blues boss Enzo Maresca.
Brighton ended Chelsea’s hopes of winning a domestic trophy by knocking them out of the FA Cup at the weekend and they dealt a blow to their top-four chances with another win on the south coast. “This is a bad, bad night for Maresca and Chelsea,” said Carragher, with the visitors failing to even land a shot on target.
“It’s been a nothing performance. It’s been bad at both ends of the pitch. They don’t look like scoring or keeping the opposition out.”
Chelsea stay fourth for now but Man City or Newcastle – who face each other on Saturday – or Bournemouth could leapfrog them into the Champions League qualifying spots by the end of the weekend.
Ahead of the game, Carragher had said it “would be a really poor season” for Chelsea if they failed to qualify for the Champions League.
During the match, he highlighted issues which could prevent them from doing just that…
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Jamie Carragher says Chelsea risk losing Cole Palmer if they are unable to qualify for the Champions League this season
Another unconvincing goalkeeper
Filip Jorgensen has been promoted to Chelsea’s first-choice Premier League goalkeeper following a string of errors from Robert Sanchez this season. But while Kaoru Mitoma’s stunning touch allowed him to move into a position to strike in Brighton’s opener, Carragher was convinced Jorgensen should have saved.
“It’s not what you would say was a mistake by the goalkeeper – but one that the Liverpool or Arsenal goalkeeper would make to keep it out,” he said.
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Kaoru Mitoma opens the scoring against Chelsea with a superb goal
Later in the game, Jorgensen handed Joao Pedro the chance to add a fourth, kicking the ball straight to the Brighton sub. “Another Chelsea goalkeeper who looks awfully unconvincing,” said Carragher. “That’s so bad.
“To spend over a billion quid and end up with these goalkeepers…”
But the whole defence lacks solidity
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Was Levi Colwill ‘bullied’ by Brighton? Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher analyse Chelsea’s poor performance
Only Man City have conceded more goals than Chelsea among the sides in the top seven of the Premier League and with just two clean sheets in 11 games, questions are being asked about how big an issue the Blues’ backline is.
“Chelsea just aren’t good enough defensively. They’re not,” said Carragher at 2-0. “We keep talking about the goalkeeper but it’s more than that.
“They’re good players individually but there doesn’t look real authority there in that back four.”
Malo Gusto started at right-back, with Trevoh Chalobah – recalled from his loan at Crystal Palace in January – and Levi Colwill at centre-back and Marc Cucurella at left-back. The latter was heavily criticised for failing to stop Yankuba Minteh for his second goal of the night.
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Yankuba Minteh scores his second goal of the game as Brighton go 3-0 up against Chelsea
“Minteh then goes inside Cucurella – awful defending from the left-back again,” said Carragher, who also said the “intensity on that side from [Jadon] Sancho and Cucurella was awful,” after that Minteh goal.
Exciting names in attack – but no shots on target
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Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca described the performance as the worst since he joined the club
Carragher believes its a similar situation in attack: exciting names but no delivery on the pitch.
This was the first time since September 2021, against Man City, that they failed to record a shot on target in a Premier League game.
It’s fair to say, Christopher Nkunku didn’t take his chance in place of the injured Nicolas Jackson, while Noni Madueke went off with a muscle problem early on and Pedro Neto and Jadon Sancho failed to fire. Star man Cole Palmer is five games without a goal.
“When you look at the front six on paper it looks quite tasty,” said the Sky Sports pundit. “They’ve got some good players in there. But there’s something lacking.
“It’s only really Cole Palmer when he’s on the ball… the rest of them, neat and tidy is probably the best way you can describe them.”
Indeed, Carragher described Chelsea’s play in possession as “tippy-tappy football at its worst”.
Palmer has created the most chances in the Premier League since December 4 – but none of his team-mates have finished any of them.
“I just watched Cole Palmer do something silly and daft. But it’s a frustration, not just because of today but it’s after what’s been going on for the last few months,” said Carragher late in the second half.
“Trying to walk through three players when it’s not on… but that’s almost frustration – like if he passes the ball, what are his teammates going to do with it?”
Recruitment approach in the spotlight
Chelsea have spent over £1bn under Todd Boehly. Carragher says the quality of the squad doesn’t reflect that outlay.
“The thing I can never get my head around with Chelsea, it’s not spending money and not competing for the biggest trophies, it’s the fact the goalkeeper they end up with or they come into this game without a recognised striker… it can’t happen with that much expenditure,” he said.
And it could get worse…
“Chelsea have got to get back to winning games as soon as possible or this season can really unravel for them,” warned Carragher. “The European competition that they are in is almost not a competition that Chelsea should be in.
“Even if they win that, I don’t think there will be much credit for them.
“Of course it’s an improvement from last season at this stage but you’ve got to remember that team last season under Pochettino with 14 games to go, only lost one of them. I’m not looking at a team here that is not going to lose one of their next 13.
“They have a lot on to actually improve on what happened last season. This team is not good enough.”
Chelsea’s next fixtures
Aston Villa (A) – Premier League, live on Sky, Saturday 22 February, 5.30pm KO
Southampton (H) – Premier League, Tuesday 25t February, 8.15pm KO
UEFA Conference League RO16 (A) – Thursday 6 March, KO TBC
Leicester (H) – Premier League, Sunday 9 March, 2pm KO
UEFA Conference League RO16 (H) – Thursday 6 March, KO TBC
Arsenal (A) – Premier League, Sunday 16 March, KO TBC
