Rio Ferdinand sees Chelsea positives but blasts failure to sign striker - ‘All this money and no No. 9’
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Updated 15/02/2023 at 23:29 GMT
Rio Ferdinand has questioned Chelsea for their failure to bring in a striker as part of their spending spree this season after the Blues fell to a 1-0 defeat to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League. Graham Potter's side couldn't make their chances count and Ferdinand pointed out that for all the money they've spent on the likes of Enzo Fernandez and Mykhaylo Mudryk, they still lack a No. 9.
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Chelsea can take positives from their Champions League defeat to Borussia Dortmund, says Rio Ferdinand, but the pundit questioned the club for splashing the cash without signing a striker.
The Blues created a string of good chances in the last-16 clash at Signal Iduna Park but couldn’t put them away.
And Graham Potter’s side were made to pay when Karim Adeyemi scored a spectacular solo goal on the counter-attack midway through the second half, which proved enough to clinch a 1-0 first-leg win.
The result continued a poor run of form for Potter’s men, who have won two of their last 13 games in all competitions, despite splashing out more than £320m in January on the likes of Enzo Fernandez, Mykhaylo Mudryk and Benoit Badiashile.
“I think he [Potter] will find some positives in there and say: ‘slowly but surely, we’ll get it right’,” Ferdinand said on BT Sport’s Champions League coverage.
“They haven’t got a No. 9 in this team. They spent all this money in the last couple of windows and didn’t go and get an out and out number nine. That’s a problem.
“But I think that’s something that he’ll think long-term, we’ll get that at some point.
“We’re doing everything up to that point really well, the way the team can pass the ball through the lines to get into good areas.
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Joao Felix of Chelsea reacts during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 leg one match between Borussia Dortmund and Chelsea FC at Signal Iduna Park on February 15, 2023 in Dortmund, Germany.
Image credit: Getty Images
“But they got undone with a clinical bit of finishing that they don’t have in their own team.”
The result leaves Chelsea needing a win to overturn the tie at Stamford Bridge on 7 March.
Before then, Potter’s side face Premier League games against Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur and Leeds United as they look to revive their flagging domestic campaign.
Chelsea sit 10th in the standings after 22 games, 20 points off leaders Manchester City and 10 points outside the top four.
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