Chelsea presently sit sixth within the Premier League, having scored 47 objectives in 25 video games, making them the fifth highest within the division this season, averaging 58.6% possession, which is the second-highest within the league and taking 16 pictures per recreation, rating fourth on this metric within the division.
Enzo Maresca’s aspect have generated the second-highest xG within the Premier League this season, with 51.79 xG generated of their 25 league video games, solely Liverpool having extra with 63.21 xG. Nonetheless, while their xG era is excessive, the Blues conversion price is among the lowest within the league.
Chelsea’s Premier League objective tallies – final ten seasons |
||
---|---|---|
Season |
Purpose Tally |
League place |
2014/15 |
73 |
1st |
2015/16 |
59 |
tenth |
2016/17 |
85 |
1st |
2017/18 |
62 |
fifth |
2018/19 |
63 |
third |
2019/20 |
69 |
4th |
2020/21 |
58 |
4th |
2021/22 |
76 |
third |
2022/23 |
38 |
twelfth |
2023/24 |
77 |
sixth |
A giant a part of that’s Nicolas Jackson’s latest harm, together with the shortage of scientific ending on the high finish of the pitch. Maresca’s aspect have typically usual excessive xG probabilities this season, squandering them and due to this fact negatively affecting their possibilities of turning performances into factors.
Nicolas Jackson’s harm woes
Chelsea signed Jackson within the 2023/24 summer time switch window, with the Senegal striker becoming a member of the Blues for a payment of round £32m.
Since his arrival, the 23-year-old has made 68 appearances for the membership, scoring 26 objectives, offering 11 assists and totaling 5,312 minutes performed.
Jackson has had a patchy season below Maresca, beginning in red-hot type, netting eight instances in his first 13 Premier League video games this season, earlier than occurring a poor run of type, solely scoring as soon as in his final ten league video games.
With Jackson now anticipated to be out till round April, and Marc Guiu additionally out injured, Chelsea are with no pure quantity 9 – one thing the squad is clearly crying out for, and maybe one thing that ought to have been thought of when making gross sales.
Chelsea already bought a possible Jackson substitute
After spending a while on mortgage earlier than his everlasting sale, Chelsea agreed the sale of Álvaro Morata in 2019 to Atlético Madrid, with the Spanish membership paying £58.3m for the striker.
Since leaving the Blues, initially on mortgage in 2019, Morata has scored 98 objectives for a large number of golf equipment, together with Atlético Madrid, Juventus, AC Milan and Galatasaray.
Álvaro Morata vs Nicolas Jackson comparability |
||
---|---|---|
Stats (per 90 minutes) |
Morata |
Jackson |
Targets |
0.35 |
0.47 |
Assists |
0.04 |
0.26 |
xG |
0.29 |
0.59 |
Progressive Carries |
1.19 |
2.12 |
Progressive Passes |
1.76 |
1.40 |
Photographs Complete |
2.16 |
3.26 |
Targets/Shot |
0.14 |
0.14 |
Targets -xG |
+0.05 |
-0.12 |
Key Passes |
0.80 |
1.30 |
Shot-Creating Actions |
1.93 |
3.21 |
Aerial Duels Gained |
1.08 |
0.67 |
Stats taken from FBref |
When evaluating the 2 strikers’ underlying metrics this season, you’ll be able to see how Morata would have provided one thing barely completely different, providing some further aerial menace to the aspect and overachieving his xG efficiency, in comparison with Jackson who’s underperforming his xG.
Anticipated Targets (xG) is a metric designed to measure the chance of a shot leading to a objective.
The age dynamic between the 2 would not have been a problem both, because the 32-year-old Morata would have provided expertise to the Chelsea aspect, which is missing on this division, making for a wholesome and aggressive dynamic between the 2.
While it’s straightforward to guage with hindsight, Chelsea might have used a extra skilled striker who’s keen to rotate with Jackson, which might have added a brand new dynamic to the group in sure video games, and helped to cowl for accidents such because the latest ones to Jackson and Guiu.
As it’s, Maresca could also be compelled to utilise Christopher Nkunku has a makeshift quantity 9, or as a substitute look to the academy…
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