FORMER Chelsea star Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink has written off his old club’s title chances due to their ‘leaking defence’.
Frank Lampard‘s side looked on course for three points in their Premier League clash against Southampton at the weekend.
But Saints defender Jannik Vestergaard pinged home a 92nd-minute equaliser for a 3-3 draw and a point apiece.
The game also included yet another howler for Blues keeper Kepa, who was in for an injured Edouard Mendy.
And Hasselbaink, speaking on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, thinks defensive weaknesses will put paid to any title challenge.
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He said: “No, Chelsea are not contenders [for the title].
“They are leaking too many goals. It is a breath of fresh air to see them going forward with the likes of Mason Mount and Werner.
“But the defence is a worry, if they cannot improve the centre-backs and goalkeeper it is a concern.
“Alisson wins Liverpool points, but that doesn’t happen with Kepa. Chelsea need to improve in that area.”
Mendy is likely to be rushed back from injury to replace Kepa, with the Senegal international in line to play against Sevilla in the Champions League.
While Hasselbaink was scathing of the Blues’ woes at the back, he was full of praise for the attacking players.
And one in particular got the 48-year-old raving.
Timo Werner scored twice in the Southampton draw, his first two Premier League goals since joining from RB Leipzig for £53m this summer.
Hasselbaink, who knows a thing or two about scoring with 88 goals in 177 appearances for Chelsea, added: “He is the real deal.
“He is very sharp, he turns the centre-back quickly, and there is only one thing in his mind.
“He is not somebody who likes to play with back to goal, he likes to see it and make the run on the shoulder of the centre-backs.
“I like him when he plays through the middle, he does drift to the left, and then comes back to the middle, he is a top striker.
“His runs are limited if he plays on the left as he can only cut back in, he is more restricted and he likes to be free and make runs off the shoulder.
“I didn’t like to play with my back to goal, I couldn’t do it. For me what I have seen of him, he is the real deal, he doesn’t care how they go in.”
Hasselbaink was the special studio guest as he watched his old club Leeds lose 1-0 to Wolves at Elland Road.
