Alan Shearer has risked another row with Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino after admitting he was ‘sad’ while watching Thiago Silva struggle against Newcastle. Pochettino has previously hit out at Premier League icon Shearer for judging striker Nicolas Jackson based on a single performance.
Chelsea were thumped 4-1 by Newcastle on Saturday. It was a dismal display given the apparent upturn in form for Pochettino’s side prior to the international break.
Veteran defender Silva, 39, was poor against the Magpies. One viral clip showed the Brazilian attempting to clear the ball but instead kicking it against his heel and out for a Newcastle corner.
Shearer said he felt ‘sad’ watching the former AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain star have such a poor game. The verdict could wind up Pochettino after a similar hasty conclusion was drawn earlier in the season.
“When you look at Thiago Silva, who has been a great of the game, and I know we all have poor games, but I thought it was a bit sad to see because he made two huge errors,” Shearer said on the Rest Is Football Podcast. “One for one goal and one where he gave away a corner in the first half.
“I know how fit he is and how he hardly ever misses a game, but it felt tough for him yesterday [Saturday]. It wasn’t good to see, as it was someone who has been so great over the years.”
It comes after Pochettino hit back at Shearer for judging struggling forward Jackson based on one game. The former England striker concluded that Jackson was not a natural goalscorer after Chelsea were beaten 2-0 by Brentford in October.
“Goalscorers don’t hang around on the edge of the box like he does,” Shearer said at the time. “It’s his job to get on the end of it. There was a complete lack of movement from Jackson. He looks very raw and at times unsure what to do. You’ve got to make defenders work.”
Pochettino was asked to comment on Shearer’s view, with the Argentine saying it was ‘dangerous’ to base an opinion of a player on one match. “It’s really dangerous, this type of analysis because it’s one game,” the former Tottenham head coach said.
“I cannot lie, it wasn’t his best. But we need to be fair. If you watch Luton, if you watch Dortmund in pre-season, if you watch Liverpool, you will see this is one player. Brentford game was another player.
“I agree with the analysis, but it’s not fair to say he is not this or that or to say he is not capable of doing what we expect of him. I believe in him, I believe. The only problem is time.”
