Chelsea players have been the target of criticism following their dismal 5-0 defeat to Arsenal, with a young Blues supporter in the Emirates crowd holding up a banner questioning their work ethic.
The sign, which read “I don’t want your shirt. I want you to fight for ours,” summed up the frustration of many Chelsea fans after a difficult season for the club.
After the match, England international Connor Gallagher, who has been on loan from Stamford Bridge, was asked about the banner.
“We definitely are putting the effort in,” Gallagher said. “I know how much it means to all the boys. It is a very young squad with not much experience as a team in the Premier League.
“As you’ve seen this season, we have had a lot of ups and downs and we are still improving as a team to get to the next level and today was one of those days we were nowhere near it. And we need to just dust ourselves off. But also we will look at the performance where we can improve. And [look at] all the mistakes where we can put it right and just get ready for the next one.”
Chelsea’s defeat was their heaviest against Arsenal in their history, with Eddie Nketiah scoring a brace. The result leaves the Blues in 10th place in the Premier League table, while Arsenal remain top of the standings.
