By Graham Ruthven
So as of how a lot they value, Mykhaylo Mudryk, Pedro Neto, Christopher Nkunku, Raheem Sterling, João Félix, Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson, Noni Madueke and Marc Guiu have all pitched up at Stamford Bridge during the last three seasons to strengthen Chelsea’s assault. And but the Blues have as soon as once more revamped their ahead line this summer time.
Undeterred by the a whole lot of tens of millions already poured into the attacking ranks, Chelsea have spent one other £170m on Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens and João Pedro with Brazilian wonderkid Estêvão additionally set to hitch the membership later this summer time. Enzo Maresca will begin subsequent season with a totally completely different ahead line.
He wanted a totally completely different ahead line. Final season, Chelsea averaged the third-highest share of possession per match within the Premier League behind solely Manchester Metropolis and Liverpool. This hinted on the degree of management Maresca desires his facet to have and Chelsea definitely had a stronger foothold on the ball final time period.
Too typically, although, this management didn’t translate into attacking menace. In a artistic sense, Chelsea had been productive sufficient, creating the second-most Huge Probabilities within the Premier League final season behind solely Liverpool. Additionally they had the joint second-highest Anticipated Objectives (xG), as soon as once more behind solely the champions.
By way of precise objectives, nevertheless, Chelsea lagged a great distance behind a few of their rivals, netting simply 64 occasions in 38 video games. For context, Liverpool scored 86 and Manchester Metropolis registered 72. Brentford, who completed tenth, scored extra objectives than Maresca’s crew who had been incessantly predictable to play towards.
‘Maresca-ball’ was criticised for this. Whereas Chelsea’s possession numbers had been spectacular final season, the best way they used possession was scrutinised. They didn’t have sufficient dynamism within the attacking third to benefit from their management of the ball and this has knowledgeable the enterprise carried out at Stamford Bridge thus far this summer time.
Gittens needs to be match for Maresca’s crew. The Italian likes his wingers to remain excessive and extensive from the place they’re anticipated to tackle opposition defenders. Gittens, who tried extra dribbles than another participant within the Bundesliga final season, has the talent set to be the extensive difference-maker Chelsea want.
There are questions over Gittens closing product. He should raise his goalscoring numbers to really be the type of participant able to pushing Chelsea nearer to the Premier League title, however the potential is evident within the Manchester Metropolis academy graduate. Maresca’s set-up might harness Gittens as he takes the subsequent step in his growth.
Pedro additionally ticks a field for Chelsea. The Brazilian has earned a fame as one of the crucial adaptable and versatile gamers within the Premier League during the last two seasons at Brighton. He’ll convey the type of cohesion Chelsea typically lacked final season and has the technical potential to play ‘Maresca-ball’ whereas possessing the physicality to offer the Blues one thing completely different.
Chelsea need Pedro to be the participant they thought Nkunku could be. There may be a number of overlap between the 2 attackers’ talent set. Nkunku can be versatile. He’s equally adept from a technical perspective. Pedro, nevertheless, is extra explosive and reached double figures for objectives within the Premier League final season.
As an all-round attacker, there’s lots to love about Pedro’s recreation. He registered extra assists than another Brighton participant final season and likewise had the very best xG per 90 minutes of inside Fabian Hürzeler’s squad. Whether or not it was as a centre ahead, a second striker or a winger, Pedro is a constant menace.
Delap has had a month-long head begin on his attacking friends who’ve made the transfer to Stamford Bridge this summer time with the 22-year-old already performing for Chelsea on the Membership World Cup. Delap has made first impression on the match, notably with Nicolas Jackson suspended for a second pink card in 4 video games going again to the top of final season.
Of the three gamers to have arrived at Stamford Bridge within the final month, Delap might need the most important leap to make to be the determine Chelsea want him to be. At Ipswich City, he successfully led the road for a crew that gave him little or no service. That he scored 12 objectives in these circumstances was extraordinarily spectacular. Chelsea, nevertheless, will demand extra.
Maresca is at an early crossroads in his Chelsea tenure. Final season noticed the Italian put in place foundations, however he should now construct extra on high of that foundation for the Blues to take pleasure in a profitable 2025/26 marketing campaign. Delap, Gittens and Pedro, and presumably Estêvão, have been signed to assist make this occur.
(Cowl picture from IMAGO)
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