GIANFRANCO ZOLA has told cheerless Chelsea star Alvaro Morata to buck up.
Striker Morata is under pressure again having scored just one goal in the past two months and appears generally downcast.
Former Chelsea striker Zola is now assistant boss at the club and says Morata should deal with the scrutiny and live with the demands of his job.
Zola said: “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, they 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.
“If he goes to another big club it’s going to be the same. 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.”
Spanish sides Sevilla and Real Betis are ready to offer unsettled Morata an escape route back home although the player would prefer to go back to Real Madrid if anywhere.
Morata is set to lead the line on Saturday against Championship Nottingham Forest when he could reboot his wilting confidence with a few goals if he is in the right frame of mind.
But Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri has already described his gloomy centre forward as ‘fragile’ and Zola agrees.
Zola, who scored almost 60 goals in more than 200 games for Chelsea, said: “Technically he is without doubt one of the best in his position.
"He has to improve a bit tactically because nowadays, football is so organised you need to get better tactically, your ability itself is not enough.
“He feels he doesn’t score enough and he feels a lot of responsibility on that. He has to learn to leave everything behind because these are burdens you only take on the pitch.”
Zola has also urged frustrated winger Callum Hudson-Odoi, 18, to think long term rather than jump ship to join German giants Bayern Munich.
Chelsea have rejected a £30m bid, determined Bayern’s third, for the teenager who is struggling to break into the first team regularly.
Zola said: “The journey's not finished. He's at an age where it's very important to keep a good attitude. You need to use these years to keep improving.
“It's not important playing straight away, playing 20 games, it's important to develop. That's what is very important for him.
“He has potential to become a top player. But he has to keep having an open mind to improve and get better day by day. I believe that we can help him, we can develop him.”
Chelsea: Caballero, Zappacosta, Cahill, Christensen, Emerson, Barkley, Fabregas, Kovacic, Loftus-Cheek, Morata, Willian.
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