Jamie O’Hara thinks Chelsea will finish seventh in the Premier League this season with Graham Potter’s side lacking any “monsters”.
The Blues have looked out of sorts for much of the season after spending over £200m on new players after Todd Boehly completed his takeover of the club.
None of their signings have been a huge success yet with Graham Potter failing to hit the ground running after taking over from Thomas Tuchel in September.
Hopes were raised when they beat Bournemouth 2-0 in their first game back after the World Cup break but a disappointing 1-1 draw against struggling Nottingham Forest has seen the team questioned again.
Chelsea are currently eighth, seven points off fourth-placed Manchester United and a huge 18 points adrift of Premier League leaders Arsenal.
And former Tottenham midfielder O’Hara can’t see Chelsea improving much in the second half of the season with Potter’s side looking “like Brighton”.
“No, I don’t think they are going to make the top four this season,” O’Hara said on talkSPORT.
“I think they look really average. Really boring as well.
“I really wasn’t impressed by Chelsea. They were bang average [against Nottingham Forest]. They don’t really look like they are going to cut you open. They don’t look like they are going to hurt you. They don’t look physical enough.
“They are soft, Chelsea. They look like Brighton. That’s what they look like. Good side, will play good football but they are not going to win trophies.
“They look weak in midfield, weak upfront. If it wasn’t for Thiago Silva I would say they were poor at the back. Thiago Silva is an absolute Rolls Royce.
“Kalidou Koulibaly – I don’t know what they have seen in him. because I think he’s miles off it. The rest of them, I’m not convinced at all. Bang average.”
O’Hara added: “I look at the players and I think, where are the monsters in their team? Where are the real leaders who are going to get the game by the scruff of the neck.
“Apart from Thiago Silva I look at the team and think they look quite weak.
“I’m talking physicality. Monsters. When I think of Chelsea I think of Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, Michael Ballack, John Terry, Ricardo Carvalho, and Petr Cech.”
Asked who will fail to qualify for the Champions League this season, O’Hara continued: “Tottenham and Manchester United will miss out.
“I think Newcastle stay in there with the players they have got. Man United fifth, Tottenham sixth, and Chelsea seventh.”
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