Revealed: Why Chelsea legend Ruud Gullit wants Blues to lose against Everton

967sportsof December 8, 2023

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The Dutch legend boasts of having a significant history with the Blues, as he spent three seasons at Stamford Bridge and even won the FA Cup in 1996–97 as a player-manager. Despite his job at the West London club, Gullit stance is driven by sympathy for Everton, which is facing a Premier League relegation battle due to a 10-point deduction for breaching Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules.

Speaking to Gambling Zone, Gullit said: “I feel for Everton, and I think everybody feels a bit of sympathy for them. I want Everton to stay in the Premier League, and I wouldn’t mind if they got a result against Chelsea! I say that only due to Everton’s situation, though. I’m still a massive Chelsea fan, and I have a lot of respect for the club. I want them to win games! However, I have sympathy for Everton, and I want them to stay up. I want Everton to win! I’m sorry to all the Chelsea fans! I like Dyche. I’d like to see Everton stay in the Premier League. It’s a tough one, as I’m such a huge fan of Chelsea!”

Revealing his admiration for manager Sean Dyche, he added, “I also like Sean Dyche as a coach. He knows the game very well, and he hasn’t always had the best players to work with. What he does with his team is fantastic despite that. People tend to forget that.”

Despite spending massively over £1 billion in transfers since Todd Boehly took over, the Blues have not been able to produce results on the pitch. And Gullit feels that despite the big-money signings of Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo, and Mykhailo Mudryk, the think tank has ignored to bring in defenders who can play out from the back, which has not helped Pochettino in implementing his style at the club.

On that, Gullit added: “They’re struggling a lot defensively, though, and I think people tend to start with a roof when they’re building a house, ignoring the foundation,” he said. “Look at how much money Pep Guardiola has spent on defenders! He knows it starts from there. Liverpool did the same thing—they’re playing so much better since Trent Alexander-Arnold moved into midfield. You need defenders who can play. It’s always so difficult when you don’t have that, and that’s why those clubs have spent so much on their defensive players.

“Nowadays, you need goalkeepers and Centre-backs who can play from the back. That’s the backbone of your team. Liverpool were at their absolute best when they were incredibly strong defensively and had midfielders who could tear up the opposition. They struggled a bit last season due to losing that edge, but we’re starting to see it return with Trent moving into midfield and adding more quality there. It always starts from the back, not the roof! Strikers need to be fed chances by the players behind them. Clubs should always consider the players at the back and make that area their priority.”

Everton are currently 17th in the league standings but could have been within the top and a rung above Chelsea if they still had the 10 points in their kitty. Both sides are in desperate need of the three points on offer, albeit for entirely different reasons, and it might come down to who wants more in the weekend showdown at Goodison Park. Anticipating to see the outcome.

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