The fallout of Sunday’s performance against Arsenal has continued into the week and Carlton Cole has hammered Chelsea winger Pedro Neto for his red card at The Emirates.
All of Chelsea’s problems and vulnerabilities were on show on Sunday afternoon as Mikel Arteta got the better of Liam Rosenior for a third time. Rosenior has lost three of his 13 games, all against Arsenal.
Robert Sanchez once again proved that he was a liability, to the point that Rosenior had his head in his hands and Gary Neville claims he cannot watch the Spanish goalkeeper without his heart in his mouth.
Pedro Neto really needs to mix up his game 🤦♂️
What did you make of his performance against Pafos?
Pedro Neto's number of crosses vs Pafos
Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images
Then there was Chelsea’s inability to defend set-pieces and crossing, with Arsenal scoring both of their goals from corners. Finally, the ill-discipline continues, with Pedro Neto the latest to receive a red card.
Carlton Cole hammers Pedro Neto for being too “lazy”
Joe Cole, Carlton Cole and Wayne Bridge discussed Chelsea’s lack of discipline and the red card shown to Neto, who had been booked moments before for dissent, before lunging at Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli.
Pedro Neto of Chelsea is shown a red card
Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images
On The Dressing Room podcast, Joe Cole thought Neto’s tackle was one normally accustomed to an attacking player but Carlton Cole disagreed with his old Chelsea teammate, suggesting it was laziness.
Joe Cole said: “It was the tackle of a winger, and a tackle of someone who was frustrated because he got outpaced,” to which Carlton Cole replied: “I think it’s worse, I think you’re giving him grace.
“I think it was laziness. It was lazy. He knew he had to run some yards back. I also think he’s forgotten he’s on a yellow because it’s happened so soon. But he made a decision because he didn’t want to run back.”
One step forward, two steps back for Pedro Neto
Neto has endured a frustrating season at Chelsea. There are no two ways about it, this is meant to be Chelsea’s best winger, most-senior winger. Yet, he keeps falling short in terms of quality and standards.
Liam Rosenior has claimed that Pedro Neto was a threat before his red card 🤔
Pedro Neto's stats vs Arsenal
Photo by Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
With Neto, it’s rarely a six or a seven. It’s either a hat-trick against Hull, performances which have been too few and far between, or it’s a four out of 10. Neto needs consistency, and it needs to be much better.
Chelsea will be busy this summer and realistically, new bodies will enter the building. The club have already made one new addition out wide in Geovany Quenda. Continue this form, and Neto could go.
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