Media Talk Africa: Latest Headlines in Politics, Business, Sports, and More

Former Chelsea star, Joe Cole, has blamed four Blues players for the goal West Ham United scored against Graham Potter’s side during both teams’ Premier League 1-1 draw on Saturday afternoon.

Chelsea drew with West Ham at the London Stadium following goals from Joao Felix and Emerson Palmieri.

But Cole blamed the likes of Marc Cucurella, Mykhailo Mudryk, Reece James and Thiago Silva for their roles in the build-up for West Ham’s goal, branding it as ‘bad defending’.

“It shows you when you are in the ascendancy, you have got to score goals and West Ham got back into it,” Cole said on BT Sport at half-time.

“It’s a good goal from West Ham but bad defending [from Chelsea players]. First of all, as Coufal just delivers it, that is too much space.

“But then at the far post, Reece James and Thiago Silva just switch off and Emerson comes in and scuffs it in.

“Cucurella has got to say to Mudryk, “You get there” and if he can’t get there, Cucurella has to get there. If he isn’t there, he has to retreat into space and deal with Bowen.

“And as the cross comes in, Reece James just takes his eye off the ball and Emerson is at the far post. It is those details in football, and then it’s 1-1.”