Ex-Chelsea star Gullit reveals why Boehly's signings are struggling
Tom Weber
- 9 Dec 2023 07:33 CST
- 3 min read
Ruud Gullit believes that Chelsea are struggling because they neglected to build a strong defensive foundation before splashing out on midfielders and attackers.
Every time Blues fans think they have overcome to worst this season, another lacklustre performance plunges their team back into crisis. After an embarrassing defeat to Newcastle, Chelsea looked absolutely atrocious against Man Utd and were duly put to the sword by Erik ten Hag's struggling side.
It was a performance so bad that many Chelsea fans became convinced that this season won't end much better than 2022/23. Another mid-table finish would not only cast serious doubts on whether Mauricio Pochettino was truly the right man for the job but it would once again throw the spotlight on Todd Boehly's running of the club.
Since the American and his consortium acquired the Blues, north of €1 billion has been spent on new signings, but Chelsea are still struggling to perform, with record signings Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo recently being singled out for criticism; even Pochettino admitted to worrying about his midfield duo.
Gullit weighs in
Ex-Chelsea player Ruud Gullit believes that the Blues' poor results are due to them not building a stout defence first. Despite signing the likes of Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile, Marc Cucurella and Axel Disasi for big money, the Blues' backline is easily sliced open, with Fofana rarely featuring because the Blues likely didn't do their due diligence on his shocking history of serious knee injuries.
"I still have to see how Chelsea's new signings pan out," Gullit told Gambling Zone. "When you come to Chelsea, you have to show how much you want to be there. I think there's a lot of potential in these new signings. They're struggling a lot defensively, though, and I think people tend to start with a roof when they're building a house, ignoring the foundation."
“Nowadays, you need goalkeepers and centre-backs who can play from the back. That's the backbone of your team. Liverpool were at their absolute best when they were incredibly strong defensively and had midfielders who could tear up the opposition. They struggled a bit last season due to losing that edge, but we're starting to see it return with Trent [Alexander-Arnold] moving into midfield and adding more quality there."
"It always starts from the back - not the roof! Strikers need to be fed chances by the players behind them. Clubs should always consider the players at the back and make that area their priority."
