Graham Potter has been warned that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is beginning to suffer from the same issues that Romelu Lukaku did under Thomas Tuchel. The 33-year-old striker extended his goal drought to four games as Chelsea booked a place in the Champions League knockout stages with a 2-1 win over RB Salzburg.
Aubameyang, who swapped the Camp Nou for Stamford Bridge on summer transfer deadline day, had a number of gilt-edged opportunities to extend the Blues' lead but he failed to convert. The Gabon international has scored just three goals in nine games for the west Londoners this term and doubt has already begun to be cast over his future in the starting XI.
While Aubameyang has missed chances, Frank Leboeuf believes that he needs more openings created for him. Speaking to Fair Betting Sites, the former Chelsea defender warned Potter that the striker could soon suffer just as Lukaku did.
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"It’s been the same problem for the last three years, providing a supply line to allow someone to consistently score goals," Leboeuf said. "They’ve tried Lukaku and it didn’t work out and now it’s Aubameyang but the problem is that they don’t consistently serve them because the football they play is more horizontal passes and keeping possession rather than trying to score goals quickly like Liverpool do for example.
"You would think with Reece James and Ben Chilwell they would swing in a lot of dangerous crosses, although they’ve both suffered injuries and that hasn’t helped, but it seems that Aubameyang is suffering in the same way that Lukaku did with a lack of service.
Leboeuf continued by claiming that Potter's style of play is yet to benefit Aubameyang, though it is an improvement. He added: "Even though their build up play is getting better under Potter because they are more vertical than they were under Tuchel, they still seem more interested in keeping the ball rather than hurting the opposition.
"That seems to be the mind frame of the players, not losing the ball rather than risking an incisive pass. A lot of backwards and sideways passes with no risk and the stats will show a high pass completion ratio but I want to see more progressive passing.
"So that’s my main concern for Chelsea is that I don’t see many players who will risk missing a pass and playing more vertically. Everything is too calculated, and football is a game of intuition in order to make something special happen in order to surprise the defence."
Coincidental or not, Potter wants to sign a new striker in January, according to French outlet Jeunes Footeux. The report states that former Arsenal target Jonathan David has been shortlisted and is being considered to replace Aubameyang, who is edging towards the final years of his career.
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