Former Liverpool defender, Jamie Carragher has identified Maxence Lacroix as the Chelsea centre-back who appears uncomfortable with Xabi Alonso’s tactical framework.
Carragher contends that the £52 million summer signing from Crystal Palace lacks the requisite mobility for the demanding man-to-man defensive responsibilities that Alonso’s system necessitates.
During an appearance on The Overlap Fan Debate presented by Sky Bet, the ex-Liverpool star praised Lacroix’s performances in Palace’s three-defender formation but expressed reservations regarding his suitability for a four-man defensive line.
The assessment followed his observation of Chelsea’s 2-0 home loss to Tottenham on October 24, alongside analysis of additional fixtures throughout the current campaign.
He said, “But I look at the signing of Maxence Lacroix, and I really liked him at Crystal Palace in a back three.
“But I was watching him against Tottenham and in other games this season, and I was seeing him pressing man-to-man, and everyone was jumping out, and it just didn’t look comfortable to me, or mobile enough to be in a back four and jumping out of man-to-man marking and jumping out to James Maddison.”
Lacroix, 26, transferred to Chelsea from Palace in July, committing to a six-year deal. He has featured in all eight of Chelsea’s Premier League encounters, predominantly positioned in the centre of a five-defender structure, and has been deployed at right centre-back during periods when Alonso has transitioned to a four-man formation.
Carragher subsequently offered his evaluation of Chelsea’s defensive personnel, characterizing their overall standard as mediocre.
“Their performances are consistently average, ranging from six to seven out of ten.
“The squad lacks an exceptional individual capable of anchoring the defence or providing cohesive leadership. The collective impression remains decidedly unremarkable,” he said.
Carragher did acknowledge Josh Acheampong’s performances at right-back, commending the academy product’s development under Alonso’s coaching.