Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink disagreed with Jamie Redknapp that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is the main reason why Chelsea aren’t scoring goals.
The 33-year-old left Arsenal a year ago following several disciplinary incidents, before moving to Barcelona on a free transfer.
He was at the Camp Nou for just six months before coming back to the Premier League with Chelsea, who paid around €12m in the summer transfer window.
Aubameyang has scored three goals in 14 appearances in all competitions for Chelsea this season with the Blues currently eighth in the table and 18 points off leaders Arsenal.
After watching Aubameyang play the final 17 minutes in a 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest, Redknapp doesn’t think the Gabon international is “the answer” to the Blues’ goalscoring issues, he told Sky Sports: “He wasn’t the answer at Arsenal so he’s not going to be the answer now at Chelsea.
“He’s getting older now. He’s not the player that he was. They’re trying to get [Christopher] Nkunku, that’s the player they’re after, whether they are going to get him I’m not sure.”
But Hasselbaink doesn’t think Aubameyang is to blame for Chelsea’s goalscoring woes, he argued back: “It’s not only the strikers who can score goals, it’s also midfielders that score goals and provide goals, and defenders even.
“How many goals have the midfielders got? It’s not only the strikers. Somebody needs to go beyond [the opposition defence], somebody needs to make runs without the ball.
“Nothing would have changed if [Lukaku and Werner] were here. They had a player in Lukaku who didn’t want to be here – who still doesn’t want to be here – so you’re not going to get anything out of him.
“They had Werner who is scared of the ball when it comes in the box, so they’re not going to be better with them!
“The problem is not the number nine, it’s more, it’s several positions. The midfielders are also not scoring goals, they are not providing, they are not creating enough chances. It’s not only the number nine.”
There have been reports that Chelsea could hijack Arsenal’s deal to sign Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk and Jamie Carragher thinks the Ukraine international has been “outstanding” in the Champions League this season.
Carragher said on Sky Sports: “Eddie Nketiah has started this second half of the season really well, hasn’t he?
“I thought losing Gabriel Jesus was going to be a huge blow as I think he’s been outstanding, without scoring the goals.
“It’s probably a little bit like Darwin Nunez at Liverpool, who’s playing really well but could do with a few more goals.‘Nketiah’s form and him getting those goals may just ease Arsenal off in the transfer window.
“They’re after Mykhailo Mudryk, when I’ve seen him play in the Champions League, he’s been left wing and Gabriel Martinelli is there right now, he’s been outstanding. Maybe one of them will go through the middle?
“If they want to compete with Manchester City – and they are doing that right now but I’m talking about in all competitions and for the next few years like Liverpool have done – you need options from the bench. Mikel Arteta knows that better than anyone from his time at Manchester City.
“I think Mudryk would be a really exciting signing from what we’ve seen in the Champions League.”
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