Chelsea should allow Victor Moses to leave the club in January
Chelsea’s out-of-favour Nigerian winger Victor Moses is desperate to leave the club after being frozen out of the squad by manager Maurizio Sarri, claims the Daily Star.
Moses is not the only player to be unsettled at the club as Gary Cahill, Andreas Christensen and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are also considering exits due to lack of regular play time. (h/t Daily Star)
The Nigerian, who announced his international retirement after the World Cup, was a regular under former manager Antonio Conte. Playing as a right wing-back in Conte’s back three system, he racked up 34 appearances in the 2015/16 season when Chelsea won the Premier League. He also made 28 appearances the last term but has failed to impress Maurizio Sarri.
As a matter of fact, Moses has made only 5 appearances across all competitions this season, only two of which have come in the Premier League.
Quite clearly, Sarri has found it impossible to accommodate him in his 4-3-3 formation with Eden Hazard, Willian and Pedro all in the mix. As things stand, the Nigerian might be nearing the end of his Chelsea career.
Alvaro Morata’s lacklustre displays have forced Eden Hazard to shoulder the bulk of the workload in the final third. The Belgian has scored seven goals so far, registering three assists in the process. Pedro made a bright start to the season with three goals in the Premier League but the Spaniard is yet to find his feet following his return from a shoulder injury.
Meanwhile, Willian hasn’t hit top gear this season. The Brazilian has tried a lot of things but he hasn’t had the desired impact so far. At times, he has tried too hard but to no avail.
To be honest, Sarri hasn’t shown the inclination to experiment with Victor Moses. It might be because the manager feels that the Nigerian is not a good fit for his free-flowing possession-based football.
The 27-year-old, who earns £75,000-a-week, is a pacy winger who likes to combine his lightning pace with his instant acceleration to beat the defenders. However, he is not the most technically gifted player in Chelsea’s ranks. He has the tendency to let the team down with heavy touches and poor ball control, something that would be a glaring misfit for Sarri’s philosophy.
Moreover, Moses is not a very good passer of the ball and doesn’t have the ability to hold onto the ball for long enough. To add to that, he is not the most intelligent footballer in the squad and does not have that awareness to make subtle and incisive runs behind the defenders. Ball retention, passing and movement off the ball are the cornerstones of Sarri’s philosophy and Moses does not tick any of those boxes.
Granted, the Nigerian is a versatile winger who can play as a wing-back. Blessed with good pace and strength, he is a very hardworking player who shows a lot of commitment on the pitch. Also, he is capable of operating on either flank, something that is an asset to team dynamics.
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However, that might not be enough to earn him a significant role under Maurizio Sarri. Still only 27, he has a lot to offer and has his best years ahead of him. That said, a move away from Stamford Bridge would be ideal for all parties involved.
