Premier League 2018-19: 3 reasons why Gonzalo Higuain is likely to succeed at Chelsea

Chelsea fans are buzzing after the signing of Gonzalo Higuain in the January transfer window. The Argentine striker joined from Napoli as a replacement for the misfiring Alvaro Morata, and he already looks like he will live up to the expectations.

After drawing a blank in his debut game against Bournemouth, Higuain finally opened his account for the Blues over the weekend against Huddersfield. The 31-year-old put up a scintillating performance that left the Stamford Bridge faithful beaming with confidence.

He ended up netting twice as Chelsea thrashed the Premier League minnows 5-0.

Chelsea have struggled to get a competent No. 9 ever since the departure of Diego Costa a year and a half ago. Morata struggled mightily to fill that void, but it is increasingly looking like the Blues now have the perfect man for the striking role.

Here are three reasons why Higuain will succeed at Chelsea:

#3 He has proved to be clinical

If there’s anything that is not in doubt about Higuain, it’s definitely his pedigree as a clinical finisher. The Argentine has often been criticized for his mistakes, but he boasts a very impressive goal record wherever he’s played.

At Real Madrid, he managed 122 goals in 264 games in all competitions. At Napoli he netted 92 in 147 games. And at Juventus he scored 55 in 105 matches. This is a player who scored more than 30 league goals in the 2015-16 Serie A season.

His lethal prowess in front of goal is exactly what Chelsea need at the moment. The Blues have so far lacked a target man who can hold up play and make the runs through the channels. Higuain readily brings that to the table.

The on-loan Juventus forward has all the attributes to succeed at Chelsea. And the biggest positive is that he is never shy to bang in the goals, unlike his predecessor Morata.

#2 He is already familiar with Sarriball

Higuain already knows how Sariball works

There are those who believe that Higuain is bound to struggle at Chelsea, especially as he is new to the Premier League. The intensity of the English game has been the bane of many strikers, but all things being equal, Higuain should have a smooth transition.

This is because the Argentine is already familiar with the style of play that Maurizio Sarri wants to implement at Chelsea. Sarriball thrives on a slow build-up from the back, with the forwards often being made to patiently wait for the transition of the ball.

Having played for two years under Sarri, Higuain already knows how this system works. His double against Huddersfield on Sunday was the perfect demonstration that the striker would need very little time to adapt.

Playing in the Premier League is not an easy task for any foreign player, especially for strikers. But Higuain’s familiarity with Sarri’s system would considerably ease things for the former Real Madrid forward.

#1 He has good telepathy with Hazard

Higuain and Hazard are playing well together

Another reason why Higuain is likely to succeed at Chelsea is his telepathic play with Eden Hazard. The Argentine is very mobile and has proven in his first two games that he can link up well with his Belgian teammate.

Many of the strikers that have failed at Chelsea often found it difficult to play with Hazard. However, Higuain has a good telepathy with the Belgian, and that is definitely a sign of good things to come.

Most of Chelsea’s attacks are built around Hazard. The team basically plays to his rhythm and anytime he ticks, the rest of his teammates automatically tag along. That is why Higuain’s understanding with him will be very crucial to Chelsea’s campaign.

Fortunately, the striker doesn’t stand and wait for the ball to come to him. Higuain loves to be involved in the play, and his second goal against Huddersfield was typical of that.

His telepathy with Hazard makes him the perfect man for Chelsea’s striking role.

Edited by Musab Abid