Tony Cascarino has questioned Graham Potter’s using Kai Havertz as his first-choice number nine at Chelsea despite the forward’s poor goalscoring form.
The Blues currently sit ninth in the Premier League table with just one win in their last six games in the competition.
Their biggest problem is pretty clear: their lack of goals.
Chelsea, in fact, have only scored 22 goals from 21 games in the league this season, at least 10 fewer than any other team in the top half of the table.
It is difficult to pinpoint one particular reason for this, but according to Cascarino, Potter’s decision to make Havertz his number-one striker plays a big part.
“I think Kai Havertz needs a real coach behind him to improve what he does as a forward,” the former Blues striker told talkSPORT.
“Because at the moment, his goal ratio is the same every season.
“Who’s the top scorer for Chelsea in the Premier League this season? Kai Havertz. What’s his ratio? One [goal] in four [appearances].
“One in four for a leading club who should be trying to win things and challenge for the title is not enough.
“That is nowhere near the level of return that the manager needs.
“Graham Potter selects him so often, and I have my great reservations about Graham Potter’s style.”
In Potter’s defence, he has not been spoilt for striker options, either.
The alternatives; Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Armando Broja, and David Datro Fofana, are not exactly easy solutions to their attacking issue.
Aubameyang is out of form, Broja is on a long-term injury absence, and Fofana has just arrived at the club and is likely seen as a prospect, rather than a ready-made starter.
Joao Felix is another possible option for the centre forward role, although, like Havertz, he is not a pure striker.
The lack of chances is not really an issue, too.
According to Opta, Potter’s men have created more big chances (81) than any other team in the league, except for Manchester City.
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