Joe Cole thinks Chelsea boss Graham Potter sent a “clear message” to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang by not playing him in last night’s defeat against Fulham.
Chelsea’s misery continued in the Premier League this season by losing 2-1 on Thursday evening away to rivals Fulham, who won the west London derby for the first time since 2006.
Goals from Willian and Vinicius Junior earned the hosts three points at Craven Cottage. They were given a helping hand when debutant Joao Felix was sent off for the visitors just short of the hour mark, though.
Potter message to Aubamayeng
BT pundit and former Blues star Joe Cole believes it was quite telling that Aubameyang didn’t enter the action as Chelsea pushed for a late equaliser against Fulham.
Potter decided to make a quadruple change in the 79th minute to try salvage a result with his side 2-1 behind, but Aubameyang was an unused substitute that didn’t get the nod to enter the action.
“I think that’s a clear message to Aubameyang. Big game for Graham Potter at Chelsea tonight… he’s brought four players on and he’s not looked at him. I think that’s a clear message for where he sees Aubameyang in the pecking order. I think Kai Havertz is going to have to be the one who leads the line for the foreseeable future,” Cole told BT Sport 1 (10:28pm, 12 January).
Aubameyang missed the weekend’s FA Cup defeat to Manchester City with a back problem, but he did return to the match day squad yesterday.
With Chelsea pushing for a late equaliser, it’s remarkable that Aubameyang didn’t get to see any action against Fulham.
The 33-year-old forward does seem massively out of favour right now.
It’s been claimed by AS that Aubameyang is ‘depressed’ and wants to leave Stamford Bridge in January.
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