Former Chelsea winger Shaun Wright-Phillips has told Alejandro Garnacho that he needs to 'put his ego in check' and deliver more consistent performances after a mixed start to his career at Stamford Bridge.
Garnacho's struggles at Chelsea
The 21-year-old Argentine joined Chelsea from Manchester United for £40 million last summer after being frozen out by then-manager Ruben Amorim. Despite showing glimpses of his talent under Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior, Garnacho has scored only once in 23 Premier League appearances this season.
Wright-Phillips, who played 125 times for Chelsea, believes the winger must work harder on his game and that his current level is 'not good enough'.
Wright-Phillips' verdict
'I feel like he may need to put his ego a little bit in check,' Wright-Phillips told Sky Bet. 'Because in a Premier League, a half season or one season is not good enough. To be at a level where people want to buy you, it has to be a consistent thing.'
He added: 'It's okay scoring sometimes, but I know the Chelsea fans, the least they need from you is 110%. If they see you working that hard for that badge, they will back you. I don't know whether that's tactically, or whether he's not happy, but they got nearly six or seven wingers, so he's gonna have to do something because Gittens might just switch on at any given point.'
Garnacho's response
Earlier this year, Garnacho acknowledged the need for improvement, telling Premier League Productions: 'We know the team we have, the things we can do. Sometimes is better in some moments, and worse. But yeah, I'm really proud to be here in this moment. But at United, I have nothing wrong to say about the club or any teammates, no one. Just a moment in life changed. My life continued. So we have to keep looking forward.'
Wright-Phillips on Cole Palmer
Wright-Phillips also commented on Cole Palmer, urging Chelsea to free the midfielder from defensive duties to unlock his best form. 'I think at times when I watch him, for someone with so much ability, I don't want him near my box,' he said. 'If anything, he's that player that if you had the team behind him, you could make him cheat a little bit, because you want him in a position where he's close to the striker that can play those passes. I just think they need to find a way to play him as the number 10, because he is the maverick that you need, and in many ways, I feel like a player of his calibre and what he's done at this short time there, they should try to build a team around him.'
Chelsea return to league action when they host Nottingham Forest at Stamford Bridge on Monday afternoon.
