By OkayGoal 
Football is a beautiful sport because it creates conversation and debate on the daily. It’s a game of opinions, we all have them, and they quite often differ.
So no hard feelings here Paul Merson, because usually I do enjoy reading what you have to say, but I think you’ve had an absolute mare here…
Paul Merson:
“They [Chelsea] need players and they need a clear-out. I would get Nicolas Jackson back, I would rip Jackson back.
“I’ve said it before, Palmer made Jackson and Jackson made Palmer. Palmer’s not on that plane [to the World Cup] because Jackson’s not been there.
“A back-three would suit Chelsea because they’ve got Reece James, Marc Cucurella and Malo Gusto who can bomb forward and they’ve got two holding midfielders in Caicedo and Enzo.
“That will suit Xabi Alonso. They could be a good team but they need some experience.
“Liam Delap is out of his depth and Joao Pedro wants to come this way [towards the midfield] and it closes everything down, he’s more of a No. 10 really.”
Where do I even start with this!?
I’ll start with the bit I actually agree with. Pedro DOES drift into the 10 because as I’ve always said, he’s a 10 more than a 9. I know he says he wants to play as a 9, but he’s not the right 9 profile we need in my view. He’s a clever player to get on the ball in deeper positions, that is where we need him. And we need a physical box 9 ahead of him. I see Pedro as a 10 or a second striker, not really a 9. So well done on that bit, Paul.
But PLEASE, did he just say that Cole Palmer isn’t going to the World Cup because Chelsea loaned out Nicolas Jackson? Huh? Palmer isn’t going to the World Cup because he’s not been good enough, he’s struggling with his thigh injury still, his form as been bad (nothing to do with Jackson), and Thomas Tuchel’s going through a mid life crisis!! NOTHING to do with Jackson. I do get what Paul is trying to say on this, but I’m sick to death of Jackson revisionism and calling for him to come back. We need to aim higher than Jackson and also, he’s still not the profile of 9 we need to be targeting. We’re talking about selling a whole bunch of the current squad yet again, but people are out there talking about bringing Jackson back!? No, just no…
Finally, Reece James can bomb forward? Have you watched Reece James lately? Do you want him to spend the rest of his life in hospital? James as a wing back would see James in the treatment room more than in the opposition half. Again, not happening.
Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo as the holding players? The opposition would have a field day with that and you might as well stick a traffic cone next to Caicedo. Love Enzo, but defensively he’s bypassed far too easily – his strengths are well and truly on the ball and not off it – that’s a weak pivot for me. We need a true physical 6 added into this squad for defensive stability, simple as that.
Love you Paul, but so much of this is NOT it chap.