‘Pochettino make two big mistake’ – Alan Shearer puzzled by Pochettino’s use of two Chelsea players vs Arsenal
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Alan Shearer expressed his astonishment at Chelsea’s decision to start Conor Gallagher and Cole Palmer as forwards in their match against Arsenal over the weekend. On The Rest Is Football podcast, Shearer shared his surprise at the choice made by Chelsea’s manager, Mauricio Pochettino.
In the game, Cole Palmer was deployed as the central striker, while Conor Gallagher occupied a rather advanced attacking position. What surprised Shearer even more was that Chelsea had a natural center-forward in Nicolas Jackson available, although he was named only on the bench for the 2-2 draw.
Shearer’s bewilderment stems from the significant investments Chelsea has made in its squad recently. Given the substantial financial outlays, Shearer couldn’t fathom why the team didn’t start with a recognized No. 9 in their lineup.
Shearer commented on The Rest Is Football, stating, “How can you spend that amount of money and then go in with Gallagher and Palmer as two forwards or 10s? I know Jackson was on the bench. I think they are improving and Pochettino is doing a good job.”
Despite the unconventional forward choices, Chelsea came close to securing a victory. Their plans were somewhat hampered by injuries, with Jackson’s recent wrist surgery, Broja’s lack of fitness, and Christopher Nkunku’s ongoing injury absence. As a result, Pochettino had to adapt his approach, and while it nearly paid off, Chelsea conceded a late equalizer, depriving them of three points.
It’s expected that Nicolas Jackson will return to Chelsea’s starting lineup in the upcoming match against Brentford, as the Senegal international has been a regular starter for the team this season, missing only one top-flight match due to suspension.
