Chelsea boss Antonio Conte shouldn’t be worried about Alvaro Morata’s form - Danny Murphy
ALVARO MORATA’S poor form is not a concern for Chelsea.
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That’s according to former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy.
The Spaniard arrived at Stamford Bridge from Real Madrid during the summer as a replacement for outcast Diego Costa in a deal worth £58m.
And Morata made a stunning start to his Chelsea career, scoring seven times in his first seven games for Antonio Conte’s side.
But the 25-year-old has only scored three times in his last 12 matches and has come under criticism for his performances, particularly Arsenal where he missed a number of chances.
Chelsea have been linked with a move for another striker this window but Murphy is convinced that Morata is capable of getting back on track.
Chelsea’s likely line-up to face Leicester at home
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“Alvaro Morata is having a sticky spell in front of goal but I do not see his form being a big issue for Chelsea and Antonio Conte.”
Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy
“Alvaro Morata is having a sticky spell in front of goal but I do not see his form being a big issue for Chelsea and Antonio Conte,” he told the Evening Standard.
“Strikers can have periods like this, we have even seen it from Harry Kane in the past, and the tide will turn for Morata because he has too much quality.
“The Premier League is still new to him and every player needs time to adapt. Maybe that great run of games he had has caught up with him - resulting in him being a tad below his best physically.
“Like Romelu Lukaku at Manchester United, sometimes that honeymoon period at a new club can wear off a bit. So there have been a number of different factors rather than one big thing.
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“However, I do not worry too much about Morata. When I watch him it is not like his confidence has completely gone. He is such a clever footballer.
“His link-up play is really good and his awareness of others is good, too, and his level of performance has not been horrendous. He is still getting in a lot of positions to score.”
Chelsea are currently third in the Premier League, one point behind second-placed Manchester United.
They return to action this afternoon as they host high-flying Leicester.