April 30th 2024.
This season has been a challenging one for Mauricio Pochettino's Chelsea, as they have struggled to find their footing. In fact, former Chelsea player William Gallas has named two players as the biggest disappointments of the season in the Premier League.
Under Pochettino's leadership, Chelsea has not lived up to their potential, winning only 13 out of 33 league games and currently sitting at a disappointing ninth place in the Premier League standings. They are a staggering 19 points behind the Champions League places and a whopping 32 points behind their London rivals, Arsenal.
Gallas, in particular, has been let down by two players in particular - Raheem Sterling and Mykhailo Mudryk. Despite being a prolific forward at Manchester City, Sterling has struggled to make an impact since his £50m move to Stamford Bridge in 2022. He has only managed to score six goals in the league this season, while Mudryk, who was signed for a whopping £89m from Shakhtar Donetsk last year, has only scored four goals.
When asked about his biggest flop of the season, Gallas expressed his disappointment, saying, "I think Raheem Sterling has been a big letdown. When I watch him play, he doesn't seem like the same player who was so successful at Liverpool and Manchester City."
"He's been with the club for two seasons now, and he hasn't shown much improvement. For someone who has achieved so much in their career, he should be doing a lot more for Chelsea. But unfortunately, he hasn't done anything," Gallas continued.
The former Chelsea defender also mentioned Mudryk as another disappointment, but he acknowledged that the circumstances surrounding his poor performances are different. "We don't know how the war in Ukraine has affected him. It must be very difficult for him. He doesn't seem to be enjoying his time at Chelsea," Gallas explained.
He added, "It's a shame because everyone had high hopes for him this season. I also believed that he would be a different player this year."
Gallas admitted that he is unsure why Mudryk is struggling at Chelsea, saying, "It's hard for me to comment on why he seems to lack confidence and enjoyment in his football. Perhaps a change of scenery would benefit him, or maybe a new club would bring out the best in him."
"We also don't know what's going on in his personal life. The situation with the war in Ukraine is very difficult, and he could still have family there. Only the players who are around him every day would know the answer," Gallas added.
With five games left to play this season, including a London derby against Tottenham on Thursday, Chelsea still has a chance to turn things around. However, it remains to be seen if Sterling and Mudryk can step up and prove their doubters wrong.
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