Chelsea It should have been a concern that curse quantity 9 had struck once more.
When Chelsea signed Pierre Emerick Aubameyang from Barcelona On deadline day final summer time, he was introduced on to exchange a centre-forward who barely bought the ball, not to mention scored targets, within the Romelu Lukaku.
The Belgian striker, now on mortgage at Inter Milan, has struggled to slot in with Chelsea’s model of play and expressed his displeasure throughout an unauthorized interview with Sky Sport Italia.
That incident overshadowed Chelsea’s first house sport of 2022Excessive profile match vs Liverpool. Lukaku was dropped from the crew as punishment by coach Thomas Tuchel, and whereas he issued a public apology, the harm was completed.
Right here we’re 12 months later and it is Aubameyang’s flip to be a speaking level for the mistaken causes after Chelsea’s opening house sport of the calendar yr.
Aubameyang did not inform the media about his displeasure the way in which Lukaku did, however his concern was evident as he suffered the ignominy of being substituted by supervisor Graham Potter after 68 minutes approaching in its place throughout a 1-0 defeat by Manchester metropolis.
When Aubameyang’s quantity was stopped by the fourth official, the 33-year-old shook his head in disbelief on a couple of event and barely acknowledged Potter as he walked by to take his place within the dugout.
Aubameyang would not be the final participant to react to this situation on this method. It is among the most embarrassing issues for a soccer participant. However she revealed his frustration.
Potter did his finest to downplay the incident, saying, “The gamers wish to keep on the sector and affect the sport. It is a pure response.” What’s past doubt, nevertheless, is Aubameyang’s kind, and his lack of presence, which is a big downside.
Earlier Arsenal The captain went 10 matches and not using a objective for Chelsea. He has solely discovered the web thrice for the membership. That race returned in October vs Crystal Palace And two matches in opposition to AC Milan.
Most disturbingly, he by no means appeared to finish the drought. It is not like he is losing one alternative after one other. Throughout the time he was on the sector in opposition to Metropolis, he scored no pictures and had just one contact (out of a complete of 14) within the opposition penalty space.
This was according to his manufacturing in his eight scoreless matches within the Premier League. He collected simply 5 efforts on objective in whole throughout these matches with solely two of these strikes on objective – one within the draw with Brentford and the opposite within the loss in Brighton.
Like Lukaku has proven in a Chelsea shirt, the extra downside with Aubameyang is that when he would not rating it is laborious to see what else he contributes. The veteran, who was launched by Arsenal final January, is just not concerned normally play sufficient. This was highlighted when he dealt with the ball on eight events in the course of the 1-0 defeat in opposition to Arsenal in November. This was the final time Potter known as him within the first 11 video games.
Within the 5 video games that adopted, Armando Brujawho left the season with a knee damage, led the road twice and extra clearly, Kai Havertz He was Potter’s most popular alternative within the ultimate three.
Potter was eager to spotlight the necessary qualities Havertz brings to the position after scoring in opposition to him Bournemouth final week. The feedback appeared important concerning Aubameyang’s scenario. He stated: “On the age of 9, he (Havertz) provides you flexibility and selection within the sport. He can enter however he may also threaten the defence, he can rating. So I like him on this place.
“With the interval we have been via, we have needed to adapt some issues. It is good to have that readability (in place), however typically it isn’t doable. Gamers are multi-faceted of their qualities to allow them to play in just a few positions. Kai is certainly one of these.
“I’ve to make a (crew choice) determination primarily based on what I believe each day in coaching and Kai scores targets and performs for the German nationwide crew, and given his objective document there, it is elite stage. At any time when he performs there, he manages to attain and in addition contributes to the crew.”
Tuchel spoke concerning the reluctance of the Chelsea gamers to take the quantity 9 shirt due to all of the gamers who had struggled with sporting it prior to now. Along with Lukaku, different prime strikers who discover him a legal responsibility embody Fernando Torres, Alvaro Morata and Gonzalo Higuain.
The place can we go subsequent the athlete…
It’s to Aubameyang’s credit score that he confirmed the boldness others lacked to take that quantity. Certainly after signing he declared: “I’ve unfinished enterprise within the Premier League”.
Aubameyang will nonetheless get extra alternatives to play this season regardless of Pique’s spell, but it surely seems more and more seemingly that he’ll act as a substitute for Havertz. It will be troublesome for him to just accept that.
What occurs from there may be open to debate. Chelsea, who had been reluctant to purchase it just a few days earlier than the deal was accomplished (they paid 11.5 million euros, with Marcos Alonso Going to Barcelona without cost), gave him a two-year contract with the choice of an additional 12 months.
They’ve agreed to phrases with Leipzig indicators with Christopher Nkunku in summer time. They added David Datro Fofana These born this month are searching for different targets to bolster the assault.
Fofana arrived from Molde (Picture: Maria Jose Segovia/DeFodi Photos through Getty Photos)
Chelsea’s lack of targets is among the causes for his or her Tenth-place end within the Premier League. They’ve scored simply 20 targets in 17 video games, which is the twelfth finest within the First Division. till you battle Leeds United And Leicester Metropolis You’ve gotten extra.
In Chelsea’s and Aubameyang’s defence, the variety of damage issues they’ve suffered this season has meant that their finest line-up has not often been on the pitch and has prevented any rhythm or understanding from creating. Raheem Sterling And Christian Pulisic He joined the record of absentees of the ten after leaving early in opposition to Metropolis with Mason Mount He suffers a blow in coaching the day earlier than.
“It is a type of issues proper now,” Potter stated. “I’ve by no means skilled something like this earlier than, and I higher not wish to attempt it right here. However it’s what it’s, I’ve to maintain going.
“Clearly the expectation is the place it’s. You wish to be right here, have all of your gamers obtainable, have a completely match squad, and be aggressive. It is irritating for everybody in the mean time.”
However nobody is extra pissed off with how issues are going than Aubameyang.
(High picture: Ryan Pierse/Getty Photos)