Paul Merson was certain that N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic needed to start contributing more in the final third for Chelsea, writing in his Sky Sports column.
The pair started together for the second time under Thomas Tuchel in Chelsea’s 0-0 Premier League draw with Manchester United last weekend.
Defensively, the duo matched United’s midfield and ensured their own back-four was largely untroubled.
Offensively, they offered very little as the Blues drew another blank.
Inquests began to swirl about Chelsea’s strike force and the need to bring in an Erling Haaland-like figure upfront.
Merson had his doubts that a player of Haaland’s calibre would want to join Chelsea, but not because of their creative conundrums.
“The problem is the midfield,” said the Arsenal icon.
“Who’s got that defence-splitting pass?
“You’ve got N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic. Between them, I’d like to know how many assists and goals they’ve got.
“They haven’t got a lot. Kovacic has never scored at home with Chelsea.
“They dominate a lot of football matches, I like Kovacic, he’s a good player, but you need to kick on.
“People have got to score goals. Jorginho, take his penalties away… That’s three midfield players who play in a team that dominate a lot of football matches during the season.
“I mean, that’s amazing. Really, that needs to change.
“He’s got to change the game when the midfield players are getting in the box and it’s not too negative, when they’re all sitting outside the box.”
Between them, Kante and Kovacic have only accumulated 13 goals and 16 assists in 331 Chelsea appearances.
It could be argued they weren’t brought in for their attacking qualities.
Certainly not Kante, who built his entire reputation on being an influence in front of his own defence, not the opposition’s.
Kovacic is elegant in possession and determined out of it, but rarely gets involved in either penalty area.
Tuchel’s other options in central midfield would be Jorginho and Billy Gilmour.
The latter is yet to score a senior goal for Chelsea. While 13 of Jorginho’s 15 Blues goals have come from the penalty spot.
Tuchel will need to find goals from all over if his team are to challenge for a Champions League spot this term.
The Chelsea Chronicle View
I have to disagree with Merson’s statement.
Chelsea’s issues do not lie with Kante and Kovacic’s lack of goal contributions.
It never has been, so why is it suddenly being highlighted now?
The likes of Timo Werner, Kai Havertz, Mason Mount and Hakim Ziyech are the ones who need to start donating, if we are pointing the finger of blame.
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