“What did you create?” – Timid, dull Chelsea criticised for lack of invention without Palmer

The London is Blue podcast today talked about Chelsea’s lack of attacking fluency and creativity.

“Moises Caicedo is an excellent forward passer, he can really get you in behind teams,” presenter Nick Verlaney pointed out.

“He has unbelievable passing range. And lately, he is just doing nothing but side to side passes to nobody. Nothing to spark something. He’s not driving the ball forward. He’s not trying anything.

“Very few of our players are trying anything, apart from Estevao and Joao Pedro.

“That’s it. So you just stuck in this rotation, back and forward to no-one. And yeah, the numbers might look OK at the end of the game, but what did you create?”

You can see their discussion in the clip embedded here:

Chelsea need more risk takers to create chances and goals

Cole Palmer celebrates scoring for Chelsea. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)

This lines up perfectly with what we said after Tuesday’s defeat. We didn’t mind the defensive start to the game, what we did mind was how clueless and timid in attack we were even once we had brought on the big guns and tried to close the trap.

Even in the final 30 seconds, the ball was going side to side and backwards.

The last couple of years the plan has been to pass it to Cole Palmer and let him take the risks. Now that he’s not fit and not in form, there’s nobody to take up the mantle. Over to you, Liam Rosenior.

In other news…

Alejandro Garnacho is someone you might look for as a player to make things happen – but he’s in dreadful form. Liam Rosenior had to defend him in today’s press conference, and even promised him more minutes.

The fitness of key attackers Cole Palmer and Estevao was also a major topic in the presser. Rosenior had good news on both fronts.