Graeme Souness has blasted ‘weak’ Cesar Azpilicueta after he said ‘everything had improved’ after Thomas Tuchel replaced Frank Lampard at Chelsea.
Lampard was sacked as Chelsea manager last month, with former Dortmund and PSG manager Tuchel named as his replacement.
Chelsea have been outstanding under Tuchel, winning six of their last eight games and beating Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their last-16 Champions League tie.
Ahead of Chelsea’s game with Atletico, Azpilicueta said: ‘Six weeks ago we weren’t at our best. Now with Tuchel everything has improved.
‘The team has better feelings. Although the Premier has nothing to do with it, reaching the Champions League on a roll is good news.
‘The solidity has recovered, fewer opportunities are granted and that speaks of the work of the group, from the first attacker to the last defender. With the new coach we try to control the games with and without the ball.’
However, Souness was ‘disappointed’ to see Azpilicueta criticize Lampard and says his comments shows the sign of a ‘weak individual’.
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He told The Times: ‘I always thought Cesar Azpilicueta was a proper professional, so I was also disappointed see him trotting out criticism of Frank after he was sacked.
‘You see it every time a manager leaves a club and these are just weak individuals looking to excuse the poor performances they have produced.’
Souness also believes the current Chelsea squad is not good enough to win the Premier League, despite spending up to £250m last summer.
‘Chelsea’s squad is not good enough to win the league,’ he added. ‘Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic still border on being five-a-side players for me – the modern term is continuity players I believe. I’d want more from them if I was their manager.
‘Take Jorginho’s penalties out of the equation and he does not get goals. Nor does Kovacic. I’d want them to be more dynamic and play it forward more often.
‘They are technically gifted, neat and tidy and rarely give the ball away, but you want to see them being more penetrative with their passing.
‘Olivier Giroud is a really good impact substitute to throw on when Plan A is not working, but I don’t think he will ever be Plan A, especially at 34.
‘Who is Chelsea’s guarantee of goals? Their version of Sergio Aguero, Harry Kane or Mo Salah?’
