Marc Cucurella has not had it easy at Chelsea. Perhaps that was inevitable given the £62million paid to prise the Spaniard away from Brighton and Hove Albion last summer. Few players – and especially full-backs – can live up to such a price tag. The expectations are set too high.
To his credit, Cucurella started well at Stamford Bridge. There was a confidence that underpinned his performances, perhaps borne out of being named Brighton's Player of the Season and Players' Player of the season the previous May. Yet his form, much like many of his teammates, dipped in late October. The 24-year-old then became an easy scapegoat.
Cucurella's biggest crime was that of association with head coach Graham Potter. The two had worked together at Brighton and the perception was that offered the full-back a level of protection not afforded to many of his teammates. It was unfair and inaccurate.
