Former Premier League frontman John Hartson has criticised Chelsea strikers Olivier Giroud and Alvaro Morata for their performances against Fulham on Sunday.
The Blues were victorious 2-0 against their London neighbours at Stamford Bridge, but it was another disappointing afternoon’s work for Maurizio Sarri’s two misfiring attackers.
Hartson was not impressed: “The one thing I’d be slightly concerned about is the number nine position,” he said on beIN SPORTS. “Giroud today looked a little bit cumbersome at times.
“Morata come on, didn’t set the world alight. If they had an [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang for instance, someone banging in the goals, then you would almost certainly say top four. They haven’t got an out-and-out goalscorer to go and get them 25 goals, have they?”
Giroud – "cumbersome"
Morata – "didn't set the world alight"@JohnHartson10 wasn't impressed with the Chelsea forwards. #beINPL #CHEFUL pic.twitter.com/g8c0DxTEG2
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS_EN) December 2, 2018
OPINION
Hartson is spot on, here. This is the one big deficiency within this Chelsea team at the moment, because everywhere else they are incredibly strong. Both Morata and Giroud have been given ample opportunity to show that they can be the main man in the Blues attack but neither one of them have done the business. Giroud is a hard worker who creates a lot of chances for other players, but he has neither been an elite level frontman. Morata, on the other hand, has a tremendous track record but he’s flattered to deceive since moving to Stamford Bridge. Both are good players, but they’re probably not what Chelsea need as this moment in time. Hartson is right, if they had someone like Aubameyang or Sergio Aguero or Harry Kane then you would say that they’re nailed on for the top four. However, as long as they refuse to address the centre forward position there’ll be a question mark over this Chelsea team. They should still make the top four, but there would certainly be a sense of unfulfilled potential around this Blues outfit this season.