“Not a top-four defender and it is showing” – Garth Crooks says he doesn’t ‘understand’ what Chelsea star is doing at the club
Garth Crooks believes Marc Cucurella is not good enough to play for Chelsea following his poor display against Aston Villa.
The Blues secured a 2-0 victory at Villa Park to strengthen their position in the top four but were grateful to Kepa Arrizabalaga for a string of stunning saves. Crooks was asked by BBC Sport to name his Premier League Team of the Week and nominated defender Thiago Silva to be in his side.
Cucurella having a really tough go of it at LCB. Wonder if Potter puts Koulibaly on in the 2nd half.
When explaining why he selected the veteran centre-back, the pundit went on to heavily criticize Cucurella, as he stated:
"Chelsea made hard work of it against Aston Villa in the first half having gone 1-0 up at Villa Park. What Marc Cucurella is doing at the club never mind on the pitch at Villa Park I don't quite understand."
He added:
"Graham Potter, having sold the player when manager at Brighton, has now inherited him at Chelsea but the Spaniard is not a top-four defender and it is showing."
Cucurella left Brighton in the summer to move to Stamford Bridge in a switch worth £58.7 million (Transfermarkt), a fee which raised eyebrows at the time. He left Potter when he was in charge of the Seagulls, but the 24-year-old full-back has been reunited with his former boss in west London.
The Spaniard has registered two assists in his 11 appearances so far this term, but now faces competition at left-back from the returning Ben Chilwell. On Thiago Silva, Crooks added:
"Thiago Silva on the other hand is not just a top-class defender but is having to mentor Kalidou Koulibaly and Trevoh Chalobah in the process. The Brazilian is calm, cool and sophisticated, and head and shoulders above anyone in the Chelsea back line."
Take Haverts and Cucurella OFF been absolutely dreadful
Havertz is so lucky he got that UCL goal because tlotherwise we'd be looking at our worst signing in history
Graham Potter explains why he took Marc Cucurella off at half-time during Chelsea's win at Aston Villa
Despite the Blues going into the break with a narrow lead, they were holding onto their lead as Villa peppered their goal.
The visitors' goal was under serious threat, so Potter decided to remove Cucurella and Kai Havertz and explained his decision to Chelsea TV (per The Metro) by saying:
"I thought we had to probably be a back five, more so, and be a bit stronger in the midfield area so we just had to adjust it. Sometimes [changes] go for you, sometimes they don’t. Credit to the players, they’re all ready to fight, they’re all ready to help the team. So we’re in a good moment at the moment, but we know there’s another game coming."
Graham Potter: "Marc Cucurella as a left centre-back can work but didn't work so well today so we had to adjust. The balance of the team is something we have to look at and find solutions."