Pressure? Just deal with it, Morata..., you’re at Chelsea not Brighton or Southampton

ZOLA’S STARK MESSAGE TO STRUGGLING BLUES STRIKER

GIANFRANCO ZOLA has told Alvaro Morata to handle the pressure of being Chelsea’s No.9 because the £60million striker is “not playing for Southampton or Brighton”.

The Blues assistant coach admitted the club thought the former Real Madrid forward was “the perfect No.9 for us” when he signed in July 2017. But the Spaniard has scored only five league goals this season – the last on November 4 – as he has struggled with the weight of expectation.

Morata will be given the chance to end his five-game barren streak in all competitions against Nottingham Forest today. But when asked if he had sympathy for the striker’s problems, Blues legend Zola (right) replied: “No, it should be a motivational thing. You are at Chelsea, you’re not playing for Southampton or Brighton, with all due respect for those clubs.

“People expect a lot from the No.9 of Chelsea. They expect a lot of goals and a lot of performances. This is normal and Alvaro has to get used to it.

“There is no way you can avoid your responsibilities. It’s part of your job, and the better you can handle those situations, the better you’re going to be.

“I know he feels he doesn’t score enough and he feels a lot of responsibility. He needs to deal with this and we need to come up with a solution that allows him to play at his standards.” Cesc Fabregas and Gary Cahill could make their final Chelsea appearances today but Zola promised Callum Hudsonodoi has “a bright future with us” if he shows patience.

“He has to think longterm,” said Zola of the 18-year-old Bayern Munich target. “If he keeps improving, he will play and play a lot.”