Graeme Souness has questioned Chelsea chief Todd Boehly's failure to sign a world-class striker during the summer transfer window.
The Blues are enduring a difficult first season under the American's ownership. They are eighth in the Premier League after their 1-1 away draw against Nottingham Forest on New Year's Day - a result that leaves them seven points behind Manchester United in fourth.
Graham Potter's side have a mountain to climb if they are to salvage Champions League football next term. Boehly, who sacked Thomas Tuchel in September, would've been hoping for better results after spending more than £250million during the summer.
"What have Chelsea talked about before coming here?" Souness asked on Sky Sports after Chelsea's disappointing New Year's Day result. "They know they'll be aggressive, they got away with it in the first half but they couldn't live with Forest when they got aggressive.
"When you're in a war out there you've got to be a different animal, and they're not capable of it. The top goalscorers [Kai Havertz and Raheem Sterling ] got four goals. Are they a better team without Timo Werner or [Romelu] Lukaku? They're not scoring any goals.
"If you've lost your two strikers and you go out and spend £170m on defenders, what's the thinking? Surely a priority when you let Timo Werner and Lukaku go is to get a striker. I think Potter needs time. This is not a squad that is equipped to go and win big games of football. Their goal difference is plus two."
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Werner and Lukaku were allowed to leave Stamford Bridge for RB Leipzig and Inter Milan respectively during the summer, although the latter's move is only a loan deal. The likes of Marcos Alonso, Ross Barkley and Antonio Rudiger also made a beeline for the exit.
Boehly was in charge of Chelsea's transfers during the previous window - signing the likes of Sterling, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Wesley Fofana, Kalidou Koulibaly and Marc Cucurella - but has since appointed a recruitment team to oversee future deals.
Led by technical director Christopher Vivell, Chelsea's new backroom supremos have already signed three players this month: striker David Datro Fofana from Molde, defender Benoit Badiashile from Monaco and midfielder Andrey Santos from Vasco de Gama.
Yet Souness believes Vivell still needs to find a world-class striker. The Liverpool legend added: "He [Havertz] is not going to get enough goals. It is madness to sell Timo Werner, Lukaku and then spend £170m on three defenders. Surely you must think, football has never changed.
"The hardest thing to find is goalscorers. Spending £170m on defenders, if you can afford it go out and do it, but the priority for me is you have sold two strikers. They weren't the answer - not long term or short term - but were better than what they have got right now. You can't tell me they are better off with the firepower they have got now."
Chelsea legend Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, meanwhile, has urged Potter to have faith in Havertz. He said: "At the moment, we need him [Havertz] as a striker. I don't think it is his favourite position but I think he is the best Chelsea have at this moment in time."
