Chelsea verdict: Blues must sort out their number nine issue to make top four, nobody knows what Havertz’s position is
DON’T be fooled by the result – goals remain a serious issue for Chelsea this season.
Before their ever-so comfortable win over Bournemouth, Graham Potter’s Blues had scored just 17 times in the Premier League, one less than the Cherries.
They’re now up to 19 in 15 games. It is progress, but compared to their rivals, it really is the smallest of baby steps.
Manchester City have 40. Arsenal have 36. Fulham have 27. Even struggling Leicester have managed 25.
And unless the Blues finally, finally, sort out their burning No9 issue, you struggle to see them hitting the net enough to launch themselves back into the top four.
Kai Havertz got the opener at the Bridge, a welcome sight for Potter, who has persisted with the German as a front man ever since he took the reins from Thomas Tuchel in October.
The problem with Havertz is that no one really seems to know what he is.
We know he is a footballer, no question, and a talented one at that, and he currently has a contract with Chelsea, but that’s about it.
Where should he play? And how? With or without an attacking partner?
Does he need space in behind? Does he need a defender to battle? Is he capable of doing it consistently for 90 minutes across an entire season?
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Is he happy at Chelsea? What position does he like to play? What makes him tick? It has been over two years since he arrived in west London and we still do not truly know.
You would like to think he can kick on after his fourth Prem goal of the campaign, on the mend after returning from Qatar battered, bruised and low on confidence.
But this clash with Bournemouth was yet another example of the confusion that surrounds a player that cost £70m.
Plenty of chances squandered. A lot of positions taken up, with varying degrees of success, although he did look more dangerous through the middle until it came to execute a finish.
It is why Gary O’Neil’s men remained in with a shout despite creating very little themselves. The game was never killed off.
Potter’s excuse is that, right now, he has little option. He has a squad full of wingers who either think they can play up front, or have no idea how to when needed.
Raheem Sterling is not a front man, but he is also not clinical enough from out wide. Christian Pulisic suffers from the same syndrome.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has done it in the past from either front three role, but is clearly not doing enough to show Potter he still can, currently warming an expensive bench.
Even when the former Arsenal star came on in the 82nd minute, he was shoved to the flank in favour of Havertz.
Armando Broja is that sort of guy, only for a horrific warm-up game knee injury to rule him out for the season.
You can make a pencil as sparkly and flash as you like, but if the lead is dodgy, what’s the point?
And so, January could offer a solution, and it has to be the correct one. None of this Alvaro Morata, Fernando Torres, Radamel Falcao nonsense.
American owner Todd Boehly’s dreams of snapping up Cristiano Ronaldo appear to have thankfully melted away with the Portuguese old-timer set for Saudi Arabia.
Yet, ironically, it is someone in that mould that would do the trick.
The arrogance and the ability to stick it in the net whenever they feel like it, without the on-field petulance or the tantrums.
It sounds ludicrous, but moneybags Chelsea need a big signing up top to ignite their season.
There aren’t that many about right now, so perhaps a gamble on a rising star could be the ticket, one that Potter can mould into his very own goal-getter.
Do that, and this extremely talented squad suddenly look capable of marching up the table.