Former Chelsea midfielder Craig Burley has warned Blues head coach Liam Rosenior against starting Alejandro Garnacho in next week’s Carabao Cup semi-final second-leg clash against Arsenal.
Burley made the comments following Chelsea’s dramatic comeback win over West Ham United at Stamford Bridge. The Blues went into the break 2-0 down and were booed off by supporters, but the mood inside the stadium changed completely after Enzo Fernández scored the winning goal deep into stoppage time.
Since replacing Enzo Maresca, Rosenior has made an immediate impact at the club, recording six wins from his first seven matches in charge. His second-half substitutions against West Ham proved decisive, helping Chelsea wrestle control after a poor first-half display.
One of the major turning points in the match was Garnacho’s withdrawal at halftime after an ineffective opening 45 minutes. The winger struggled to cope defensively and was comfortably handled by Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who limited his influence and exposed his weaknesses. Garnacho was also caught out in the build-up to goals scored by Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville.
Although Garnacho scored twice in the first leg of the semi-final, Burley believes Chelsea’s improvement after his substitution is enough evidence to leave him on the bench when they face Arsenal.
Speaking on ESPN FC, Burley said Garnacho is better suited to coming on late in games when opponents are tiring.
He said Garnacho is the kind of player who can make an impact in the final stages, but starting him in a high-stakes match would be a risk Chelsea cannot afford.
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