London — Marcos Alonso has challenged his Chelsea teammates to prove in Thursday’s League Cup semifinal showdown against Tottenham that they are motivated to arrest their alarming slide. Furious with the latest in a growing list of punchless displays, Blues boss Maurizio Sarri launched a scathing attack on his Chelsea stars after Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Arsenal. Questioning their mental strength and revealing that he finds it “extremely difficult” to motivate his players, Sarri risked alienating a squad that had rebelled against his predecessor Antonio Conte last season. The Italian’s blast was understandable after so many tepid efforts from Chelsea this term. But Sarri must shoulder some of the blame himself after making a pair of tactical decisions that have contributed to Chelsea’s malaise. Deploying Eden Hazard as a central striker has neutered the Belgian playmaker, who has been far more effective in his natural wide role. That move was born out of Sarri’s frustration at the m...
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