The frantic pace and power of the Premier League suits some players. Alvaro Morata does not appear to be one of them. The 26-year-old has never looked like justifying his £58million transfer fee during his time at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea’s 3-1 defeat by Tottenham highlighted a number of problems facing Maurizio Sarri. The manager worked wonders to stretch his side’s unbeaten start into late November. The squad Sarri inherited is lopsided — Spurs picked their opponents apart and exposed Chelsea’s weaknesses. The defence was porous and the midfield was over-run. Yet Morata stood out. He was the worst of a bad bunch.
There are obvious flaws in his game that should be easily eradicated. The striker’s tendency to get caught offside is infuriating and his all-round performances inspire little confidence. His movement is poor and his touch frequently substandard.
It is hard to find space in League matches but Morata has an advantage most forwards can only dream about. He plays alongside Eden Hazard, who mesmerises defences and pulls them out of shape. The Belgian creates room for team-mates. Hazard’s frustration is palpable when his colleague fails to make a telling run or take advantage of scoring opportunities. On Saturday, the winger’s exasperation was obvious.
Morata’s five League goals in 12 games is below par in the context of playing alongside a world-class creator of chances. Nor does Morata earn his wages by acting as a provider.
He has not supplied a single assist this season. The main job of a Chelsea centre-forward should be to act as a foil for Hazard.
Diego Costa distracted centre-backs with his physicality and movement. Morata does not pose anywhere near that sort of threat or create much of a diversion.
It is remarkable how much money Chelsea have spent on centre-forwards for relatively little return during the Roman Abramovich era. Aside from Didier Drogba and Costa, SW6 has proved a graveyard for strikers. The likes of Andriy Shevchenko, Fernando Torres and Michy Batshuayi were a waste of money. Romelu Lukaku and Daniel Sturridge were mishandled and discarded. Sarri has overachieved throughout the autumn but now opponents are beginning to work out his system. This is not a crisis for Chelsea — they should be good enough to cement a place in the top four. Yet Sarri wants better. A number of players need to step up and Morata tops that list of underachievers.
