“Just Too Good” Shearer Singles Out Chelsea Trio After Palace Mauling

“Just Too Good” Shearer Singles Out Chelsea Trio After Palace Mauling

BBC pundit Alan Shearer lavished praise on Kai Havertz, Christian Pulisic and Mason Mount for the role they played in Chelsea’s 4-1 win over Crystal Palace yesterday.

Speaking about the trio, Shearer said their refusal to engage directly with Palace’s two centre-halves, Gary Cahill and Cheikhou Kouyate, helped them get the better of their opponents:

“Those three today were just too good for those two because they didn’t want to come out, they didn’t want to go and mark one of them because if they had of then they leave the space in behind and that caused them problems. They created chance after chance.”

“Havertz, who played very well today scored one, had an assist, probably should’ve scored another couple of goals. As I said it was a constant, a defender just didn’t want to come out and close them down. Pulisic gets his first goal. He [Mount] was clever in everything he did as well.”

“Second half, it didn’t change… it’s all from those players dropping deep and getting the ball and as I said they were just too good for them.”

Mount’s performance was not surprising, considering his excellent recent form, but fans would have been delighted to see both Havertz and Pulisic getting on the scoresheet.

Havertz struggled against Porto during the week but the German international performed well in the false nine role. Pulisic, meanwhile, has had to be patient for his chances under manager Thomas Tuchel.

The American international rarely featured in Tuchel’s first three months in charge at Stamford Bridge, with injuries playing a part in that, but he has now started the Blues’ last three Premier League games, scoring three goals in the process.