Paul Merson has told Sky Sports that Chelsea will not mount a Premier League title challenge if they continue to rely on Olivier Giroud and Tammy Abraham in attack.
Chelsea have only managed seven goals in the past six league games, having scored 12 in their previous four games. This downturn in form going has seen them fall to their fourth defeat in just over a month at home to Manchester City.
Frank Lampard has rotated his squad in tangent to the ferocious fixture schedule, which meant leaving Giroud out completely against City despite the Frenchman being his top-scorer this season.
With nine goals, the 34-year-old is top of the pile for Chelsea, one ahead of Abraham and Timo Werner, whilst featuring far less than his striking compatriots.
Werner’s troubles have been well documented, hitting a blank in his last 12 outings, yet it is Giroud and Abraham that are on the mind of Merson.
“No disrespect to Olivier Giroud or Tammy Abraham, but you are not going to win the Premier League with those as your front two,” the former Arsenal midfielder admitted to Sky Sports.
This links to the fact Lampard has largely been deploying Werner out wide rather than through the middle, with Giroud or Abraham deployed there instead, which seemingly does not suit the German’s style of play.
Merson continued to voice his concern over the Chelsea duo’s credentials, saying: “Giroud and Abraham do great on their day, but they are not going to be in the top six Premier League goalscorers this season, or any season.
“How many teams have won the Premier League without having a player in the top six scorers?”
Chelsea lie in ninth place, having briefly been at the league’s summit in early December, as a challenge for the title becomes increasingly more difficult.
Chronicle view
I think Merson has a point that Chelsea won’t win the league, but not because of the scoring rate of Giroud or Abraham.
Giroud has been superb whenever he’s been selected, and Abraham offers a different dimension to him or Werner.
As for never being in the top six Premier League scorers, Giroud managed it in 2013/14, 14/15, and 15/16.
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