Sports
Chelsea Waste of Money Jamie Gittens Was ‘Woeful’ vs Cardiff
Chelsea players will breathe a sigh of relief after they were made to work hard for a 3-1 win against Cardiff City in the EFL Cup. And despite the victory, supporters are furious with what they saw from one player in the quarter-final match.
Despite their Premier League pedigree, the visitors struggled to get going in the first half, managing just one shot on target before the interval while Cardiff had moments where they were in the ascendancy. But quality finally told as Enzo Maresca’s side capitalised on a misplaced pass from centre-back Dylan Lawlor. Facundo Buonanotte laid the ball off to Garnacho and the Argentine made no mistake from close range, producing a neat finish.
However, Chelsea failed to put the game out of sight, which gave the hosts the chance to level. David Turnbull, storming into the box, met Perry Ng’s delightful cross and powered a header past Filip Jorgensen.
It threatened to be an embarrassing night for the top flight side, but their blushes were spared thanks to Pedro Neto’s first-time effort which found the bottom corner, before Garnacho grabbed his second of the night in added time. Nevertheless, the Blues will need to put in much improved performances if they are to win the competition.
Jamie Gittens Struggles in Cardiff
In what was a much changed XI from Enzo Maresca, Jamie Gittens came into the team for Garnacho, looking to stake a claim to the left-wing spot after the Argentine wasted several chances in Chelsea’s Premier League victory against Everton. But for a man with a point to prove, he looked well off the pace.
Arriving at Stamford Bridge for a sizable £55m fee, many supporters who’d seen him play at Borussia Dortmund thought the club were buying a player renowned for electric pace and neat dribbling. None of that was on show against Cardiff, though, as the Bluebirds’ backline marshalled him throughout and kept his influence to a minimum.
Despite facing a League One defence, the England under-21 international couldn’t manage to complete either of his two dribbles over the course of a 66-minute cameo. And while he did manage to play one key pass in the game, he also lost possession of the ball 10 times, which led to play breaking down as Chelsea struggled to get out of first gear.
Check Out Gittens’ Match Statistics Below:
|
Jamie Gittens’ Statistics from Cardiff 1-3 Chelsea |
|
|---|---|
|
Minutes |
66 |
|
Touches |
41 |
|
Key Passes |
1 |
|
Passing Accuracy |
21/25 (84%) |
|
Total Shots |
2 |
|
Dribbles (Successful) |
2 (0) |
|
Possession Lost |
10 |
It was hardly a performance which will guarantee Gittens minutes moving forward in the Premier League, especially with Garnacho managing to get a brace in the tie. And, having failed to impress aside from his wonderstrike against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the EFL Cup, questions could already be raised about his long-term future at the club. He just doesn’t look like the player to take Chelsea to the next level.
Fans Condemn Gittens Transfer After Cardiff Display
Many watching Chelsea’s lacklustre performance in the Welsh capital have voiced frustration with what they saw from Gittens at the Cardiff City Stadium. Sky Sports’ Lewis Jones, reporting at half-time, described how both the winger and Facundo Buonanotte had squandered opportunities in attack, labelling them “woeful.”
“Facundo Buonanotte and Jamie Gittens must be in danger of getting hooked at the break,” he wrote. “Both have found lots of pockets of space but have been utterly wasteful with the ball. Between them they have contested 14 duels and lost them all.
“They have both lost possession 10 times each too – the joint-most of any Chelsea players. Woeful.”
Supporters have also voiced their frustration over Gittens’ displays since he arrived at the club this summer. After some expressed their fury with him after a 2-2 draw against Brentford, more have already decided that he was a complete waste of money after Tuesday’s performance. One wrote: “Gittens might actually be the worst footballer I’ve ever seen at my club, don’t even hate the guy he’s just not good.”
Another added: “Gittens has to be one of the worst players I’ve ever seen at the club. Can’t dribble, can’t cross, extremely lazy off the ball as well.” And that was echoed by a fellow fan, who said: “Gittens cost £55m and kicks ball like he’s fresh from the academy. Disgraceful.”
Described as “our worst transfer of all time” by one more supporter, an additional fan stated: “From today, whenever I see Gittens in the lineup, I’m not going to watch that game for the sake of my sanity. The boy continues to prove himself as the worst Chelsea transfer of all time.”
A final viewer stated: “Jamie Gittens. Too scared, too shy, too passive still. That confidence will come in time, but unfortunately we never covered ourselves with quality to wait for that. As is the case for almost every signing.”
