Search icon

Football

13th Jan 2023

Graham Potter has made his view on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang pretty clear says Paul Merson

Lee Costello

“Everything that can go wrong, is going wrong.”

Chelsea lost 2-1 to Fulham in yet another disappointing match on Thursday night, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang wasn’t even introduced onto the field.

The London side’s new signing João Félix suffered a nightmare debut after receiving a red card, meaning that he will miss Chelsea’s next three games.

In a team that lacks goals, you would think that Aubameyang would be the perfect solution given his brilliant record at Arsenal, but in recent years, he just can’t seem to find the net.

Potter Aubameyang

The out-of-luck striker last played in Chelsea’s 1-0 defeat to Manchester City and faced the ultimate humiliation of being substituted on and substituted off shortly after.

Speaking in his column for Sky Sports, Arsenal legend Paul Merson doesn’t see any way back for the unwanted forward.

“I think they will cut their ties with him. As soon as you are sub-subbing a 30-something player, I think that is probably the end. Maybe you can get away with it with a younger player, but in football it’s one of those unwritten rules.

Potter Aubameyang

“It’s a don’t-do. But Potter did it with him at 33 and, for me, I think he’s done. It’s an example of why recruitment is such a big problem for Chelsea.

“They have brought a couple of players in already and it looks like they are going to have a go in the transfer window. They have to. The top four looks very far away right now but there’s a long way to go.”

Speaking to BT Sport after the Fulham loss, a dejected Potter couldn’t hide his disappointment.

“It sums up where we are at the moment – everything that can go wrong, is going wrong.

“Even though I thought the boys kept going, Fulham didn’t have too much in that period and we had some opportunities ourselves but in the end it is a disappointing evening for us.”

Related links: