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There looks to have been an improvement from Chelsea this season under new manager Maurizio Sarri. The Blues currently sit three points clear of Arsenal in the fourth position in the Premier League, reached the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup, and progressed with ease in the Europa League, going unbeaten in the group stage.
However, there has been one area that has consistently let Chelsea down so far this season, and that has been up front. Of the Premier League’s big six, Chelsea have scored comfortably the fewest goals, registering just 38 in 21 league games.
Much of the blame has of course gone on the two strikers, Alvaro Morata and Olivier Giroud. Morata has never really looked convincing since moving to the Premier League, despite scoring ten league goals before Christmas in his first year in England.
He has scored just five league goals so far this season and looks totally unreliable in front of goal. His confidence looks like it has hit rock bottom, and it doesn’t seem like he’s going to get any of it back in the near future.
Giroud is the only other recognised striker in the Chelsea squad. However, his goal return has also been poor, and he has scored just once in the league all season. He does though seem to work well with Eden Hazard, and the two have formed a decent partnership.
This issue has been intensified by the fact that goals haven’t come from other areas of the pitch either. Although Hazard has ten league goals to his name, Willian has scored just twice, with Pedro providing six.
This is undoubtedly a problem that Maurizio Sarri will look to solve this January, and he is likely to try and bring someone to the club, especially after his side’s goalless draw against a struggling Southampton side. Here are five men who Sarri may look at to help solve his goalscoring crisis.
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#1 Mauro Icardi (Inter Milan)
This is probably the dream signing as far as Chelsea are concerned. They will no doubt be looking for someone capable of scoring at least 20 goals a season and has shown that they are capable of doing so. Icardi could certainly be the man to do the job. The Argentinian has consistently shown over the last few years at Inter Milan that he is capable of doing the job at the highest level, and he would definitely improve Chelsea’s front line.
His goal record in Serie A is superb, with the 25-year-old scoring an impressive 109 goals in just 175 league games. He also showed his worth in the Champions League this season, scoring four goals in the six group games, including a superb volley against Tottenham. He is a controversial figure off the field, and that is perhaps the reason he hasn’t been capped more by Argentina, but he is someone who would thrive in this Chelsea team.
#2 Andrea Belotti (Torino)
If you look at the strikers who have had success at Chelsea over the past decade, it has been players who have had a physical edge to their game. Didier Drogba was a nightmare for defenders to deal with, and he is regarded by many as one of Chelsea’s greatest players. Diego Costa may have been a man who was never popular with opposition fans, but Chelsea were always a better side with him in it, and he played a massive part in their two most recent Premier League titles.
Belotti is similar to these players in a way. His goal record is not quite as good as Icardi’s but as someone who plays more as a target man, he has a different role. He is more than capable of finding the net, having scored 26 goals during the 2016/17 season. He may not be the man Chelsea are looking for now though, because although he would be a real asset, he isn’t as clinical in front of goal as some of the other strikers on this list.
#3 Krzysztof Piatek (Genoa)
While most of the players on this list are relatively well known, Piatek is certainly someone who isn’t. He has only spent half a season in Europe’s top five leagues, having only moved to Genoa in the summer from Polish side Cracovia. He has however made a real impact since his move to Serie A and is now one of the most talked about forwards in European football.
With 13 goals in 19 games so far this season, he is the second top scorer in the division, with only Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of him. He has also matched some great goalscoring feats, including becoming the first player to score in their first seven Serie A games since Gabriel Batistuta during the 1994/95 season. He is certainly a man who has the ability to score goals, but Chelsea may want someone more proven at the highest level.
#4 Callum Wilson (Bournemouth)
It is no secret that Chelsea are interested in bringing Callum Wilson to Stamford Bridge in January. Gianfranco Zola has made it clear that there is interest in the Bournemouth striker, but that he also expects competition from a number of other clubs. Wilson is someone who has experience in the Premier League, so at least will know what it takes to succeed at the top of English football.
He has had another good season, scoring nine goals in his first 16 league games, as well as netting on his England debut against the USA in November. He would also help Chelsea meet their quota for homegrown players, particularly given that both Danny Drinkwater and Gary Cahill could leave the club this month. He may cost the Blues at least £30 million, but he may be worth it.
#5 Tammy Abraham (on loan at Aston Villa)
It may be that the man to solve Chelsea’s woes is already at the club. One Chelsea player who has been finding the net on a regular basis this season is Tammy Abraham, who is spending the season on loan at Championship side Aston Villa.
The 21-year-old has been clinical in front of goal, netting 16 league goals in just 20 games, including four in a single game against Nottingham Forest.
Abraham did spend a season in the Premier League last year with Swansea City, where he scored just five goals. However, he was playing at a much poorer side, who didn’t create the sort of chances for him that Chelsea undoubtedly would. He obviously wouldn’t cost a penny given that he is already a Chelsea player, meaning the Blues may have more money to invest in other areas.
