Gabby Agbonlahor has slammed Chelsea for playing ‘boring, boring’ football after their win against West Ham.
The former Aston Villa forward said he was disinterested with the way Thomas Tuchel’s side are playing at the moment – and said that Blues fans felt the same way, particularly after their dismal midweek showing at Southampton.
And speaking on TalkSport after Chelsea’s 2-1 win over their London rivals on Saturday, which would have been a draw but for a controversial late VAR decision to outlaw an equaliser, Agbonlahor tore into the Blues for their style of play this season.
He noted that the team’s performance against West Ham only improved when Ben Chilwell was introduced as a substitute with 20 minutes to play against the Hammers.
Gabby Agbonlahor was unimpressed with the ‘boring’ style of football shown by Chelsea
The 35-year-old said: ‘I don’t like watching them play football. It’s boring. Today was boring. The first half – boring, boring Chelsea. Chelsea fans agreed midweek. Watching them at the moment is boring football.
‘The five at the back, when you watch them, it’s not working. Today, they put Chilwell on for [Marc] Cucurella. Chilwell’s flying forward, scores a goal.’
Agbonlahor was also quick to criticise Cucurella’s performance, particularly after the money that the Blues spent to sign him from Brighton – and said the funds could have been put to better use by buying someone from Saturday’s opponents.
‘I’m not having him,’ the former England striker said of the 24-year-old defender. ‘I don’t understand £60m. He’s not good technically, very erratic. Silly fouls.
‘Put that towards Declan Rice. Today I thought Chelsea got away with one. And West Ham were very unlucky not to get a point.’
Agbonlahor felt that the £60m spent on Marc Cucurella should have been used for Declan Rice
Generally on the state of Chelsea’s spending this summer, under new ownership led by Todd Boehly, Agbonlahor felt that the club had to prove themselves at the top of the table at the end of the season.
He said: ‘I look at what they’ve spent. Chelsea have spent this summer a record for the Premier League £260m. They have to finish in the top two for me, top four is not enough. Chelsea have to finish in the top two. £260m.
‘And they’re scraping past, with the help of VAR.’
When Jamie O’Hara stepped in to praise Tuchel, Agbonlahor responded by asking: ‘The money he’s spent, do you think he’s doing well at Chelsea?’
Chelsea travel to Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday to start their Champions League campaign, before another London derby against west London rivals Fulham on Saturday.
Thomas Tuchel came under fire after Chelsea spent a record £260m in the transfer window