April 23rd 2024.
Chelsea's recent struggles continued as they suffered their second defeat in the space of a month at Wembley. Ruud Gullit, the legendary former Chelsea and Netherlands midfielder, did not hold back in his criticism of the team's performance in their FA Cup semi-final loss to Manchester City. He specifically called out Mykhailo Mudryk for wasting a crucial opportunity to equalize in stoppage time.
The Blues will no doubt be disappointed with their performance, as they had numerous chances to break the deadlock before Bernardo Silva's 84th-minute goal sealed the win for City. This was yet another painful loss for Chelsea at Wembley, after their previous defeat in the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool just two months prior.
With this result, Chelsea's hopes of winning any silverware this season have been dashed. They currently sit in ninth place in the Premier League, a staggering 27 points behind league leaders Arsenal. Despite the club's significant spending on new signings in recent years, Gullit believes there is still a lack of quality within the squad.
In a candid interview with The Sun, Gullit expressed his frustration with Chelsea's inability to perform under pressure. He pointed out their tendency to take an extra touch on the ball instead of making a quick pass, which often leads to missed opportunities. Gullit also noted that the team often fails to anticipate and react to their opponents' movements, which is a clear sign of a lack of quality.
The former Chelsea player-manager was particularly critical of Mudryk's poor free-kick in stoppage time, which ultimately sealed the team's fate. Despite having seven players waiting in the box, the Ukrainian midfielder's shot went out for a goal kick, much to the dismay of his teammates and the fans.
Gullit did not hold back in his assessment of the situation, stating that Chelsea should be able to take advantage of a tired City team. He described the missed opportunity as "horrible" and emphasized the need for the team to face the truth and work on their weaknesses.
In a separate interview with The Mirror, Gullit praised the performance of young midfielder Cole Palmer, who has been a standout player for Chelsea this season. However, he also warned that the player may be experiencing a "honeymoon period" and will need to continue performing at a high level in the future.
Overall, Gullit's strong words reflect the frustration and disappointment of Chelsea fans as the team continues to struggle. It remains to be seen how the team will respond to this setback, but it is clear that significant improvements will need to be made in order to achieve success in the future.
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