Chelsea have helped opposition managers with their “team talks” in the Europa Conference League this season after omitting Cole Palmer from their squad, according to former Premier League striker Gabby Agbonlahor.
Palmer was left out of their squad last week for their European campaign with speculation that he was omitted for load management purposes in a season that is scheduled to end with the Blues’ participation in the new Club World Cup.
Palmer, who has registered a goal and four assists in the Premier League this season, withdrew from Lee Carsley’s England squad for games against the Republic of Ireland and Finland.
Romeo Lavia and Wesley Fofana have also been left out of Chelsea’s European squad and former Aston Villa striker Agbonlahor thinks it’s “disrespectful” to the competition.
When asked about Chelsea’s decision leave Palmer out the squad, Agbonlahor said on talkSPORT: “I think it’s disrespectful to the competition because they wouldn’t do that for the Europa League or the Champions League.
“They’re looking at the Europa Conference League like, ‘Eurgh, we’re Chelsea and we shouldn’t be in this… let’s rest our players who might pick up knocks’.
“Especially with Lavia and Fofana. They’ve had injury problems and they’re probably thinking, ‘Rest them in the Europa Conference League, we can play a weakened side and then concentrate on the Premier League with some of these players’.
“I think it’s quite disrespectful to the competition to be honest.”
And Agbonlahor thinks other teams in the Europa Conference League will have added motivation with some of Chelsea’s best players missing.
Agbonlahor added: “If I’m a team that is playing against them, I’m looking at them and would be like, ‘Come on, that’s a team talk… they’re resting a few players, not putting them in the squad because they’re thin there, the rest of their squad can beat you’.
“I do think that if I was playing against them I would be like, ‘Oh, Palmer doesn’t have to play does he? Is this a rubbish competition?’.
“But I do get it. You need a rest as well, the players do.”
Former Arsenal striker Alan Smith thinks the football world is “flabbergasted” by the decision from Chelsea to send Raheem Sterling to Arsenal and replace him with Jadon Sancho on loan from Manchester United.
When asked what he made of Chelsea’s transfer window, Smith told casinoapps.com: “I think everybody’s just flabbergasted by Chelsea’s transfer business and the Jadon Sancho one put the lid on it. They signed Jadon Sancho, and he’s another player that hasn’t really proven himself in the Premier League.
“Obviously, he was excellent at Dortmund, but he still has got a lot to do and to sign him, you’re letting Raheem Sterling go. I know Sterling didn’t show his best form at Chelsea, but even so, he’s a senior player that you can depend on.
“Those deals summed it up for me; that told me what Chelsea’s game plan is. It’s obviously looking long term, but football is such a short-term game. There aren’t that many managers who have presented a five-year plan and seen it come to fruition.
“Chelsea’s approach has really confused the football world, and maybe even the sporting world. As to what they’re trying to do and whether it will be successful, we’ll have to see.
“So much depends on the quality of these players, young lads, and whether they can make a mark and increase their transfer value.”
When asked what Chelsea fans can expect this season, Smith added: “Snakes and ladders, isn’t it? Poch seemed to have got Chelsea up the ladder, but by hiring a new manager they may have gone back down the snake a bit, and they’re trying to clamber back up again with a lot of new players. It’s so hard to predict what they’re going to do in the Premier League this season.
“They’ve been inconsistent so far, drawing at home to Crystal Palace after whacking Wolves away. They’re capable of doing that, thrashing teams when it all clicks.
“Enzo Maresca, talk about having your hands full. He’s an inexperienced manager as well. It’s a heck of a task for him. He’s been quite bullish about how he’s done things so far; he’s been very direct in his press conferences when dealing with the media and answering questions about different players.
“I don’t know how Chelsea will do to be honest with you. I don’t see them being consistent in the league, put it that way. They could do well in the cups again, but I don’t see them clambering into the top four. Maybe they could get into the top six.”
