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Alan Hansen: 'The players, not Rafael Benitez, are the problem at Chelsea'

Hansen: 'Benitez not the problem'
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Alan Hansen believes that lacking the "right type of player" is Chelsea's problem, not interim manager Rafael Benitez.

Former Liverpool defender Alan Hansen believes that Chelsea interim manager Rafael Benitez is not the main issue at Stamford Bridge.

The Spaniard, who has failed to strike up a relationship with the majority of the club's fans since replacing Roberto Di Matteo in November, is expected to be given the boot in the summer.

While criticism has fallen on the ex-Liverpool manager's shoulders, Hansen believes that the Blues' lack of the "right type of player" is the deep-rooted problem in the West London club.

"It does not matter whether it is Benitez or Jose Mourinho in charge of this Chelsea team, there is a lack of the right type of player, particularly at the back," Hansen wrote in The Telegraph.

"They need a centre-half, a holding midfielder and a right-back. The jury is also still out on whether Demba Ba is good enough for the level Chelsea aspire to. Whoever Roman Abramovich turns to next will simply find himself addressing the same tactical and technical problems Benitez has been faced with."

Chelsea are currently one point above fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League table.

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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool15113131131836
2Chelsea16104237191834
3Arsenal1686229151430
4Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest168442119228
5Manchester CityMan City168352823527
6Bournemouth167452421325
7Aston Villa167452425-125
8Fulham166642422224
9Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton166642625124
10Tottenham HotspurSpurs1672736191723
11Brentford167273230223
12Newcastle UnitedNewcastle166552321223
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd166462119222
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham165472129-819
15Crystal Palace163761721-416
16Everton153661421-715
17Leicester CityLeicester163582134-1314
18Ipswich TownIpswich162681628-1212
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1623112440-169
20Southampton1612131136-255


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