
Jimmy
Floyd Hasselbaink insisted Chelsea need to buy another striker to close the
gap on Manchester City and become serious title contenders.
Hasselbaink suggested that despite Alvaro Morata's recent good form, his
former side need at least one more option upfront to fight for the Premier
League.
Speaking to Sky Sports News, Hasselbaink said: "I think every club that is
going to challenge for the Premier League needs three strikers.
"For me they [Chelsea] still have a gap to close on Man City, but they are
improving and if they can keep on improving they can hopefully catch them.
"[Sarri] has changed the way they play totally. They now play more in the
defensive third of the opposition. They have the ball 60 or 70 per cent of
the time - that was totally different last year.
"You see smiles on the players' faces again and they're playing attractive,
attacking football."
Chelsea forward Morata has scored 16 goals in the Premier League since
arriving from Real Madrid last summer, including five in 11 appearances this
season.
Morata's goalscoring record since arriving at Stamford Bridge has been
criticised in the past, but Hasselbaink believes he will start to find the
net on a regular basis.
"Morata will score goals," Hasselbaink added. "He is a confidence person. He
is so good at getting behind the defence and he needs to keep on doing that.
"Everybody says 'he needs to do this and needs to do that' but he shouldn't
concentrate on becoming something he is not. He should embrace what he has
got.
"He's not somebody who likes the contact of the centre-halves, but he
shouldn't have to play like that. If he keeps on playing to his strengths I
believe he will score a lot of goals."
Hasselbaink also had praise for Morata's club team-mate Olivier Giroud.
He said: "Giroud is different. He's never been an out and out goal-scorer
but he makes other people around him play better which is something
magnificent to have.
"Chelsea will need him during the season because there will be matches where
they will need to play with Giroud up front."