Chelsea’s struggles to find a top-tier striker are becoming increasingly apparent, especially after their costly squad rebuild exceeding $1 billion. These struggles were underscored in a 2-0 loss to Brentford in the Premier League on Saturday, extending their poor form at Stamford Bridge.
In contrast, Arsenal is thriving in the striker department. Despite the absence of Gabriel Jesus due to a muscle injury, Eddie Nketiah, who recently made his England debut, stepped in as a backup and delivered a clinical hat-trick in a resounding 5-0 victory over Sheffield United. Arsenal’s depth in their attacking line-up was on full display as they remain unbeaten after 10 league games.
With this win, Arsenal closed the gap to just two points behind their north London rivals, Tottenham, who managed to maintain their undefeated streak with a 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace on Friday.
In stark contrast, Chelsea is languishing in 11th place with just 24 points, and they have struggled to secure wins at Stamford Bridge, managing to win only one of their six home games, and that was against newly-promoted Luton.
Goal-shy Chelsea
Chelsea’s difficulties in finding the back of the net were once again evident, with Nicolas Jackson leading the line. While Cole Palmer displayed promise in the No. 10 role, Chelsea’s manager, Mauricio Pochettino, eagerly awaits the return of France forward Christopher Nkunku, who suffered a significant preseason injury and has recently returned to training.
This marks the 10th occasion in 2023 across all competitions that Chelsea has failed to score in a home game, highlighting their lack of clinical finishing. Pochettino acknowledged this issue, stating, “We’re not nasty or clinical in front of the goal.”
In other Premier League fixtures, Newcastle endured a 2-2 draw against Wolverhampton, with Callum Wilson scoring twice but Wolves managing equalizers through Mario Lemina and Hwang-Hee-chan. Newcastle now trails Tottenham by nine points.
Additionally, Bournemouth secured their first league win of the season with a stunning 2-1 victory over Burnley, courtesy of Philip Billing’s remarkable long-range goal from around 40 yards (meters). This victory relieved some pressure on Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola, who had previously failed to secure a win in his first nine league games in charge after arriving from Spain in the offseason.
