Chelsea have seen their form take a turn for the worse in recent weeks, and people have begun to ask questions of the character and ability of the same young players who were getting all the plaudits earlier on in the season.
The likes of Tammy Abraham and Mason Mount have gone off the boil slightly, but former Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp has jumped to their defence, suggesting the more senior players must step up.
In his column for The Daily Mail, Redknapp said: ”The likes of Willian and fit-again Pedro cannot expect Mount and Abraham to carry this club. When on the pitch, they need to perform. When it comes to Mount, I wonder if he could benefit from a break.
”As for Abraham, he needs better back-up. Michy Batshuayi has not quite cut it as a deputy, while Olivier Giroud is likely to leave in January so that he can get the game time he needs ahead of Euro 2020.”
Mount has already made 24 appearances for the Blues this season, and Abraham 23. The majority of these have been starts, with the pair being crucial to Chelsea’s success so far this season.
After starting the season so well and receiving plaudits from fans, Mount has been in the firing line recently. Following a disappointing performance in the defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday, some fans were extremely critical of Mount, suggesting that he deserves to be dropped from the starting line-up.
Abraham has not seen as much criticism come his way, but fans need to manage the expectations they have of such young players. Some stronger back-up and much-needed rest could rejuvenate Chelsea and take them back to winning ways.
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