Alan Shearer criticised Arsenal defenders Rob Holding and Pablo Mari on Match of the Day 2 (22/8, 22:48) for how they failed to communicate with their midfielders against Chelsea.
The BBC Sport pundit believes the centre-backs needed to offer Granit Xhaka and Albert Sambi Lokonga more instructions to close Romelu Lukaku down during Sunday’s 2-0 loss.
Lukaku scored on his second Chelsea debut following a £97.5m transfer from Inter Milan on August 9. The Belgian finished from close range into an empty net after meeting Reece James’ cross. His hold-up play and ability to link the Blues’ attack proving too troublesome.
BBC Sport presenter Mark Chapman asked Shearer if Mari should have done more to tell his Arsenal teammates to close Lukaku down, after receiving a 20-yard pass into his feet unchallenged. But the Premier League icon believes Holding was just as much to blame.
“Absolutely screaming,” Shearer replied. “It’s not as if those two are youngsters in Holding and Mari, they’re experienced players now. You’ve got to be screaming at your midfielders, to say: ‘This cannot be allowed to happen’.
“Because one-v-one, with his back to goal, with his back to defenders, not many players are going to stop Lukaku with his skill, with his strength and what he can do. You’ve got to tell the midfielders: ‘Come and give us a hand, and help me out’. And that never happened.”
Lukaku bullied Arsenal defenders Mari and Holding in Chelsea clash
Lukaku scored Chelsea’s first against Arsenal after shrugging Mari to the ground before playing the ball on to Mateo Kovacic. He then ran on to meet James’ delivery unchallenged inside the six-yard box, and left a bigger mark on Mari.
Mari could not cope with Lukaku, and his frustrations showed with a rash 34th-minute foul resulting in a yellow card. The £85,000-per-week Spaniard will certainly want to forget about his nightmare afternoon as quickly as possible.
Holding will, too, as Mari’s inability to cope with Lukaku – who sat on the Spaniard – meant he had to cover. But he likewise often struggled to put a lid on the Belgian’s buoyant day in north London. Leaving Shearer with no choice but to query why they never asked for help.
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