JAMIE CARRAGHER has criticised Ben Chilwell for pulling back Rodrygo and being sent off in Chelsea’s defeat to Real Madrid.
Frank Lampard’s side went down 2-0 at the Bernabeu on Wednesday night as goals from Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio put the Champions League holders in control of their quarter-final tie.
Real led 1-0 when Chilwell was dismissed for preventing a clear goalscoring opportunity as he tugged Rodrygo down on the edge of the penalty area.
The Blues’ ten men attempted to dig in after being reduced in numbers, but Asensio added a second for the Spanish champions with 16 minutes remaining.
And Carragher insists Chilwell should have let Rodrygo run through and let him take his chance against Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Speaking on CBS’ coverage, he said: “For me, [Marc] Cucurella is at fault but that [the sending off] is even more at fault. Don’t pull someone back and give a red card away.
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“The reason you pay a goalkeeper is to do his job and to get you out of trouble defensively – that’s what he’s there for. Let him do his job.
“You’re then down to ten men, he’s now going to miss the second leg, and it still would have been difficult for Rodrygo to score from there.
“Going down to ten men could have completely taken them out of that tie.
“There’s still a glimmer of hope, but defensively from Cucurella that was really poor and then Chilwell, the second part of it, his positional play and also getting the red card – let your goalkeeper do his job!’”
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Carragher’s criticism of Chilwell came after he slammed Cucurella’s positioning in allowing Rodrygo to burst through the heart of the Chelsea back line.
He said: “Look at the body position here of Rodrygo compared to Cucurella.
“He is already on his way, Cucurella still hasn’t changed his body position to run back and on the far side, Ben Chilwell, when one of your centre-backs steps out the wing-back has to come in and fill that space.”
He continued: “You can’t do everything you’d like to do as a defender [against rapid players]. You’d like to be tight and aggressive, but you’ve also got to remember who you’re playing against.
“Rodrygo is lightning-quick, so you can’t go fully in. Cucurella doesn’t go fully in, he gives himself a couple of yards – which is okay – but his problem is he doesn’t react.
“When the ball goes and [Rodrygo] spins, Cucurella is still like this [stood still]. He hasn’t changed the pace of the game and understood what is happening in that game.
“You’ve got be on your bike and go. And even if you go early, the player might then stop and get the ball to his feet – no problem, you’ve still got your back five in position.”
Interim boss Lampard has kicked off his second spell as Chelsea head coach with back-to-back defeats against Wolves and Real Madrid.
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Next up for the West London outfit is a home game against Brighton on Saturday.
They then host Real Madrid in the second leg of their European tie at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
