Former Chelsea star Craig Burley has warned Liam Rosenior he cannot afford to start out Alejandro Garnacho against Arsenal in next week’s Carabao Cup semi-final second leg.
The Blues continued their impressive begin to life under their recent manager against West Ham on Saturday after they staged a dramatic second half comeback.
Rosneior’s side were booed off on the break having trailed 2-0, but Stamford Bridge was rocking come the ultimate whistle following Enzo Fernandez’s injury-time winner.
Enzo Maresca’s successor has now won six of his seven games on the helm and it was his substitutions that helped turn the tide against the Hammers who had looked firmly on top of things on the interval.
The choice to hook Garnacho at half-time proved particularly decisive after the Argentina international produced a woeful display through the opening period.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka comfortably pocketed his former Manchester United teammate at exposed his lack of defensive aptitude, playing a component in goals from Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville.
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Such was Chelsea’s improvement within the second half that Burley feels Rosenior now has enough evidence to suggest that Garnacho needs to be relegated to the bench against Gunners, although it was the 21-year-old’s two goals that hauled his side back into the tie a fortnight ago.
‘Alejandro Garnacho is the style of player who comes on at 75-80 minutes when everybody is knackered and there’s a little bit of space for him to make use of his pace,’ Burley told ESPN FC.
‘But as a starter for Chelsea? No, no.’
Burley’s fellow pundit Steve Nicol went several steps further by claiming that the £40million summer recruit wouldn’t have lasted in the sport had he bee plying his trade 20 years ago as a consequence of his provocative sort of play.
He said: ‘I’m not a fan of Garnacho from plenty of angles, not only on the football field. I don’t like his demeanour and his attitude.
‘I don’t like his final ball which lets him down way too often. Due to his pace he gets himself half a yard on defenders, but too over and over he picks the flawed pass or makes the flawed decision. I don’t like the best way he plays the sport.
‘Are you able to imagine him playing 25 years ago? He’d be in a hospital most weekends.
‘We were at all times told was don’t do anything to make the opposition or the fans or anyone who’s attempting to beat you, don’t do anything to encourage them to need to beat you.
‘He’s the style of guy who just by the best way he plays the sport makes everyone who’s against him need to ensure he doesn’t do well.’
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