Chelsea veteran Thiago Silva has been singled out by one dressing room source for their slow start to the season, suggesting he is failing to offer support to the young players in the squad.
Thiago Silva has previously been the captain of Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan and the Brazilian national team and, at 39, is comfortably the oldest member of the Chelsea squad. In fact, reserve goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli is the only other player aged over 30 in the squad, with Raheem Sterling the third-oldest at Chelsea at just 28-years-old.
That hasn't stopped one source from criticising Silva, though.
According to The Athletic, one anonymous source close to the dressing room told them that Thiago Silva has failed to set the standards at the football club and impart his bundles of experience on the fledgling squad.
Prior to playing Fulham on Monday night, Silva has started all six of Chelsea's Premier League games this season, with new signing Axel Disasi alongside him. The defence has conceded six goals in that time, but the aforementioned source is unconvinced with the abilities of Silva at such a trying time for the club.
Mauricio Pochettino has also come under fire, with The Athletic also highlighting how the Argentine's "limited tactical instruction" for the Blues' forwards is the perceived reason behind their poor showing in front of goal. The report suggests that Pochettino has been encouraging players to express themselves in the final third, rather than offer any discernible plans to his squad.
Indeed, Chelsea have found the net just five times this season - three of which came in one game against Luton Town - and have seen Nicolas Jackson, in particular, struggle to score.
The report also states that the source claimed: "No one is really taking responsibility, driving everyone, making it clear ‘we’re all in this together’. You can see this on the pitch.”
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