Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has said Chelsea’s current squad lacks the quality to compete for the Premier League title.
Speaking to Sky Sports on Tuesday, Carragher praised Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca’s work since taking charge but criticised the club’s recruitment and squad-building strategy over the past three and a half years.
“I actually think Enzo Maresca has done a brilliant job since he took charge. In his first year, he secured Champions League football. Achieving qualification through the league and performing well in competitions like the Club World Cup, including dominating Paris Saint-Germain, is impressive,” Carragher said.
However, Carragher pointed out that despite Chelsea’s significant spending, the team still lacks an elite goalkeeper and top-class centre-backs, which he considers essential for a title challenge.
“My criticism is aimed at Chelsea as a club over the past three and a half years. Reflect on teams that have won the league—who were their goalkeepers? Petr Čech and Thibaut Courtois. That says everything a Chelsea fan needs to know,” he added.
He emphasised that without improvements in key positions, Chelsea cannot realistically compete for the Premier League crown.
“There hasn’t been a league-winning side in 100 years with players of this standard in these key positions for Chelsea. It’s simply impossible,” Carragher said.
Responding to the criticism, Maresca stated: “Anyone can say what they want.”
Chelsea will face Lincoln City tonight in the EFL Cup, seeking to bounce back after their 2-1 defeat to Manchester United in the league.
