Chelsea through the years - a reason for the 'forward' problem?

Fernando Torres – unsure of himself under AVB

Luis Suarez scored four goals in one game against Norwich City; in fact, he’s scored 30 goals in the league this season. His partner in crime Daniel Sturridge has scored 20, meaning that the two have scored a combined total that is greater than that of 11 clubs in the Premier League. Manchester City can boast of similar goal scoring exploits – the only difference being that they have distributed their goals rather more evenly among their superstars.

If teams were to win titles based solely on how many goals they score, Liverpool and Manchester City would have been light years ahead of the rest. In reality, as we all are well aware, the title is won based on points, which basically depends on not only how many you score but also on how many you concede. Hence, Chelsea are right in the mix with the duo.

Jose Mourinho can talk all he wants about his team being ‘little horses’ for the title, but he is fooling nobody. You can build a strong defence that just won’t yield come what may, but you need goals at the other end too, to make it worthwhile. Strikers and play-makers get you goals, and at the moment Chelsea have their play-makers doing a decent job of it. The strikers, however, just aren’t getting into the act for which they are paid.

What could be the reason for Chelsea’s strikers’ lack of form not only during this season, but for the past two years, ever since a certain Didier Drogba departed? Is it the formation and the system being played? Is it a lack of competition? Or is it simply a case of square pegs and round holes?

Chelsea, since the time of AVB, have been using a 4-2-3-1 shape, and that is the time which roughly coincided with the start of decline in goals from strikers. Before that, Carlo Ancelotti had been using a diamond formation (4-1-2-1-2) where the two strikers up front for a majority of the time would be Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka. The likes of Malouda and Joe Cole would cut inside from the wide positions, which provided plenty of options for full backs Ashley Cole and Jose Bosingwa.

With Frank Lampard playing as the attacking midfielder behind the two strikers added to the list, the aim was crystal clear – deploy maximum number of threats to outscore the opposition if you are not sure about your defense. This was the reason for Carlo Ancelotti’s side plundering 103 league goals in their title winning 2009-10 season. Entertaining though they were, Chelsea went through their annual slump in October-November the following season and only recovered when it was too late. As a result, Ancelotti was famously sacked in a corridor at Goodison Park.

In the midst of it all, 50 million pounds were exchanged.

“Out with the old, in with the new” was the buzz in town. Andre Villas Boas had announced himself.

Out went Nicolas Anelka, Florent Malouda, and Alex (exiled, rather), to the bench went Didier Drogba, and along with him, Frank Lampard and John Terry. Fernando Torres would lead the line, watched on by Daniel Sturridge (just returning from a successful loan spell at Bolton), Salomon Kalou and his senior Ivorian.

Juan Mata would be the main play-maker. The 4-1-2-1-2 was abandoned. Apparently, the young, genius tactician wanted something more balanced, like 4-2-3-1. Mata was to supply all the goodies for Torres to feast upon. Spaniard to Spaniard, quick technical player feeding passes along the ground to his even quicker quicker country-mate – it seemed perfect on paper. Tactically, this change of shape also meant a host of other changes – another defensive midfielder at the cost of a striker, and no room for a true winger.

The full backs had to provide all the width now and track back as well, which meant Ashley Cole had to work his socks off. Due to one lesser attacking threat, the shape had to be more compact. Centre backs like Terry and Alex would find themselves at the halfway line very often, and as a result, Chelsea were conceding very often. Villas Boas’ persistence with a high defensive line would finally cause a fall-out with Terry, and Lampard was being benched too often as well. Within 8 months, out went AVB, and Di Matteo took his place.

Rather inexperienced, Di Matteo relied on the basics and squad support. Terry, Lampard and Drogba played regularly again. But the formation remained. It was still a single striker up front, but the high defensive line was abandoned. The plan was simple – play like the old Chelsea, get the ball to Drogba, bypassing the midfield, get one or two to help him, and he’ll do the rest. “Do not concede” became the objective, rather than the “score as many as you can” approach of Ancelotti and presumably, AVB. Di Matteo’s faith was rewarded in the biggest way possible, as Drogba won them the Champions League.

Drogba had to leave, on an ultimate high, and took Kalou with him. This left the club with three strikers for 2012-13 – Torres, Sturridge and Lukaku. The latter was loaned out and no other strikers were signed, which meant Torres was finally the main man, and Sturridge the backup.

Eden Hazard and Oscar completed the trio behind Torres. After one and a half years of lack of form, hardly getting the ball, and missing an open goal at Old Trafford among other things, this was to be his year. With three play-makers behind him – all of them equally good at making the killer pass – and finally being the main man with Drogba no more at the club, with just one Daniel Sturridge for competition, the stage was set for Fernando Torres. No more excuses.

But the ‘Mazacar’ trio had their own intentions. Highly rated, and with Mata already winning the love of the fans, Hazard had to do likewise after all the buzz about his transfer. Oscar was the rather less heard of player, but a 23 million tag meant he had to deliver instantly as well. Thus the 4-2-3-1 became a matter of competition. Who among the three would score the most? The ’1′ was conveniently forgotten.

Obviously, the next option would be to give the other ’1′ a chance. Daniel Sturridge, despite carrying a reputation of being selfish, had scored crucial goals almost whenever he played, so why not give him a good run in the side? No, he didn’t cost 50 million. Who was he anyway to play ahead of Fernando Torres? A Manchester City reject ahead of the British record signing? Scandalous!

The last thing that Sturridge wanted at that stage was the arrival of another Spaniard. Rafa Benitez was brought in, exclusively for the sake of Fernando Torres. Sturridge simply had to go. How could he just sit there and watch this gala Spanish reunion?

Sturridge signing for Liverpool – what a move it has turned out to be!

Liverpool bought Sturridge for just 12 million, which looks like the best bargain of the decade if the current situation is anything to go by. Chelsea had to find another option, and Demba Ba was to be the man.

Ba provided a fresh option, a target man unlike Torres. Thus, despite all the promise, Chelsea were still casting glances towards their past style. As the season progressed, Ba would play the league games, Torres would play the cup games. The style was still nowhere as spectacular as it could have been. Di Matteo had learned that well enough, and you couldn’t blame Benitez. Being the hate figure, brought in to improve the defense and to do a steadying job, he had to get back to the old style again – “Do not lose” rather than “Win big”. He did it quite well.

The alternation between Torres and Ba had other consequences too. The line-up behind them remaining mostly unchanged, the team had to alternate two styles – the past and the future. None of the two got a regular run in the side, and as a result, neither could hit top form and claim their right on the position.

Mourinho arrived and it just couldn’t be understood what happened to the owner’s grand plan. It was back to square one. This time, Lukaku was to take Drogba’s position for obvious reasons. He was inexplicably loaned out again, and Samuel Eto’o took his place. So could Mourinho get the best out of Torres, Eto’o and Ba?

If he was intending to, Mata wasn’t going to be the man helping them. Despite being the club’s best player and the fans’ darling for two years, he wasn’t contributing to the “don’t concede” department. Thus he was benched in favour of Oscar, and ultimately sold. ‘Mazacar’ was changed to ‘Wilzacar’. So Mourinho was going to win by taking the opposition head on – using strength (Matic), pace (Salah), and experience (Eto’o) rather than simply technique. On the other hand, short term injuries and suspensions meant the order of favour of strikers was never properly settled.

But have the strikers contributed enough? Only in bits and pieces – Torres’ wonder assist and winner vs Man City and the brace at Schalke, Eto’o pressurizing the goalkeepers and scoring from the ricochet, and Demba Ba scoring when it mattered most vs PSG. In a nutshell, 21 league goals put together is a very poor return indeed.

Torres’ best match of the season so far – scoring the winner and providing a fine assist

There have been some positives too. Torres has improved leaps and bounds in holding up the ball and winning headers. He may have lost some pace, but his assist contribution is rather impressive. He has been sidelined on only four instances due to injury, all of them short term. As a player, from a touch wood roadrunner, he has transformed himself into someone more rough and tough. Demba Ba, meanwhile, has proved that he can adapt to any Premier League club and score goals if he is trusted enough.

So what next? Before answering that, to put it in short, here’s a summary of why Chelsea’s strikers have been misfiring.

Keeping transfer fee paid as the priority, Torres has been the number one for way more time than he deserves. A move on is the best solution. Daniel Sturridge should have been trusted more and not cast away – he had shown enough of his ability with Bolton and in the limited time he got with Chelsea.

Next, the changing of managers, all of them having their own styles and season objectives, has resulted in nobody getting a sustained run in the side and cementing their position. Finally, the shadow of Didier Drogba has still proved too dark for anybody to come out of.

Hence, for the future, with respect to strikers, Chelsea must be sure of the following: the longevity of the manager and his style, the compatibility of the player to the style, and the assurance of goals which they have been missing. We’ve had enough of the “he is back” moments of Fernando Torres, and it is best for him to leave rather than being forced out eventually.

Edinson Cavani has been linked with Chelsea for about a couple of years now, and that is too much of a drag for the transfer to ultimately happen. Besides, why would he leave PSG? This leaves Diego Costa as the only big name option. Following Falcao’s departure, Costa has taken La Liga by storm. Having played the season of his life, the big move is not too far away. But there are some questions still worth pondering.

The biggest risk with such players is the possibility of them being ‘one-season wonders’. True, Costa would take to Mourinho’s plans like a fish to water, but there are two major risks – injuries and the price. Mourinho’s style of primarily being defensive-minded would require the striker to be starved of service sometimes. He must be able to hold up the play, and if required, help out defensively. Haven’t we seen Didier Drogba dropping in to centre back and winning headers when required? Costa should be prepared to do the same. If signed, it is hoped that he conditions his body like the Ivorian – an incredible fitness record is a must.

Secondly, the price. Costa won’t come cheap. Big name strikers and Chelsea haven’t exactly been a marriage of convenience in the past. Shevchenko followed by Torres – is Costa going to complete the hat-trick? Hopefully not! Atletico may probably ask for Thibaut Courtois as well. Letting go of the future number one goalkeeper isn’t the wisest thing to do.

As of now, Costa is not the solution to Chelsea’s problems. The price is too high, and since it is Atletico they’re dealing with, Chelsea will be pestered towards selling Courtois. That isn’t a risk worth taking. If Costa can sustain his current form for another season then maybe Chelsea can think of signing him, but certainly not this season.

What Chelsea do not realize, rather shockingly, is they have their solution in-house. There is nothing left for Romelu Lukaku to prove. A successful season on loan at a mid table club followed by a successful season at a a Champions League chasing club should be enough for him to play regularly next season.

Romelu Lukaku needs to be trusted by Jose Mourinho

Again though, there is the problem of trust and price. Why trust Lukaku, who’s had two good seasons in the Premier League, and make him number one? He cost only a measly 18 million. Costa should be leading the line, shouldn’t he? After all, he is the leading scorer in La Liga and this is his first real season in the spotlight. Besides, he will cost a bomb.

This attitude of Chelsea must change. Supply shouldn’t be a problem considering the variety of their play-makers. What they need is a finisher who will come cheap. Someone who won’t be regarded as the messiah, but someone experienced enough in this league to silently do his job without anybody realizing it. If he starts, you know he will score. A player like Javier Hernandez, Edin Dzeko or Cristian Benteke. Maybe even train Andre Schurrle as a striker!

Chelsea do not need a big name striker. What they do need is the bravery to make Lukaku the main man. This season has proved that they can rely on the rest of the team for goals, so why not experiment for another year? They shouldn’t repeat the same mistake they made with Sturridge, which was principally, a lack of trust. Lukaku must be assisted by a poacher like Hernandez, Dzeko or maybe even Benteke. The latter would be the easier option since it’s a step up from Villa rather than a move from a club at the same level.

To conclude, I am of the opinion that Chelsea must not buy a big name big money striker this season since the club has had enough of covering up for the likes of Shevchenko and Torres in the past. Another failed striker and the club may become a laughing stock – the ‘graveyard of strikers’ tag might well become justified.

At the moment, it is best to thank Torres and Ba for their contributions and experiment with a trio of Romelu Lukaku, Cristian Benteke, and maybe Samuel Eto’o for another season.

It is only a matter of the coach showing some trust and bravery. I hope Mourinho is listening!