Chelsea were ‘playing with NINE MEN’ against Everton due to poor form of Timo Werner and Kai Havertz

Tony Cascarino suggests Chelsea were effectively playing with nine men during their 1-0 defeat at Everton due to the abject displays of Timo Werner and Kai Havertz.

The Blues slipped to their first defeat in since September at Goodison Park on Saturday night as Edouard Mendy’s rash challenge on Dominic Calvert-Lewin allowed Gylfi Sigurdsson to win the game from the penalty spot.

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It was Mendy’s mistake which cost Chelsea

However, rather than Mendy, it was two other summer signings who caught the eye of Cascarino – for the wrong reasons.

Germany pair Werner and Havertz were signed for a combined £120million earlier this year, and neither have really hit the heights just yet.

Werner has eight goals in 19 appearances, while Havertz has four in 16, but it’s their general play which has been alarming.

Yesterday wasn’t the first time the two forwards have struggled to influence the game in a Chelsea shirt, and both were virtually anonymous throughout.

Nobody doubts their incredible talent, given their remarkable records in the Bundesliga with RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen respectively, but Cascarino insists they are not worth a place in the Chelsea starting XI on current form.

AFP

Werner hasn’t scored in his last six game

Reflecting on last night’s game, the former Chelsea striker said: “Timo Werner struggled, he hasn’t scored for six games. I saw him against Rennes and I thought he was really poor.

“He’s devastatingly quick and he’s got a goal record, I expect him to get one at Chelsea too.

“He found it very difficult yesterday. Kai Havertz, too, was absolutely on the fringe of the game – and he’s another very talented player.
“It felt like, at times, they were playing with nine men. They just didn’t make anything happen. Giroud didn’t get any service.

“Everton handled the game brilliant, Ancelotti showed his experience in the way he set up his team.

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Havertz was chasing shadows for much of the game

“Allan and Doucoure were superb, they marshalled it well and they did a job.

“Chelsea are dangerous, they’ve shown how good they can be offensively. I thought Pulisic would play yesterday, but for some reason he didn’t make the bench.

“Credit to Everton, I thought Alex Iwobi played really well, so did Mason Holgate.”

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