CHELSEA are ‘soft’ and their players have ‘got to do more’, according to Jamie Redknapp.
The Blues lost 2-0 at Leicester on Tuesday night and the Sky pundit was not impressed by Ben Chilwell or Callum Hudson-Odoi.
Callum Hudson-Odoi did not take his opportunity and showed a ‘lack of quality’Credit: AP:Associated Press
Jamie Redknapp wants to see more energy from Ben Chilwell who is ‘going through the motions’Credit: Reuters
Chelsea boss – and Redknapp’s cousin – Frank Lampard is under mounting pressure with some reports suggesting he will be sacked this week.
But Redknapp called on the players to take responsibility for the club’s current run of poor form – having lost three and drawn one of their last five games.
He said: “I look at the full-backs, Reece James, Ben Chilwell comes in for a lot of money. I want to see a lot more from him.
“I’m seeing him going through the motions a little bit, I want to see more energy.
“The midfield, I don’t think had the right balance today if I’m totally honest.
“Kai Havertz, Mateo Kovacic and Mason Mount, it felt like that midfield might have been better against Fulham than it was today.
“That didn’t work. They were out-thought and out-battled and like Frank said, the better team won.
“I look at Chelsea and it feels like they’re getting thrown together at the moment.
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“It’s hard, you’re searching for something as a manager. You want the right recipe, you’re hoping Hakim Ziyech will come in and and do a bit for you.
“And you give Callum Hudson-Odoi an opportunity today and what did he do?
“He had one opportunity and he ends up falling over, a lack of quality. And these are big opportunities for players.
“The players that he brought in, you’re always asking them to do better and they didn’t do enough a lot of the players that had their chance today.
“So when they get back to training tomorrow, they can’t really moan too much or knock on the door when they get left out next week. They’ve got to do more.”
As well as the individual criticism, Redknapp suggested the effort levels need to improve in Lampard’s squad if they want their form back.
He added: “There are one or two things I look at which will upset Frank more than anything because he was as hard working as a player as I have ever seen.
“And it’s that one or two of them are a little bit soft. You never want to be labelled a soft team. You never want to be labelled a team that doesn’t run enough, work hard or win individual battles.
“And that can boil down the confidence but I look at that team right now and there’s one or two of them who are just doing enough.
“And you can’t just do enough when you play for Chelsea. This is a team where you’re under pressure every single game.
“They’ve had a situation there which has been successful where managers come and go and you can’t knock that because they’ve done so well out of it.
“But players right now have got to take responsibility, they’ve got to do more. You’re bringing in lots of new players.
“You’re like a kid in the candy shop. You’ve got all the players but where you play them and where they fit in [matters].
“Who’s going to find form? The players that have come from another country, you’re hoping they are going to hit the ground running.
“Havertz and Timo Werner just haven’t. They were two star signings and they’ve struggled.
“So you can’t legislate for that and you can’t legislate for how the world is right now. It’s incredibly hard for them.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
