There’s a new style The entire Chelsea club, from the front office to the field, has been working hard to solve the recurring problems that have arisen thus far in the Premier League season.
The Blues have only won once in their first four league games, a 3-0 thrashing of Luton Town at Stamford Bridge. Even if a draw with Liverpool looked well on paper, losses to West Ham and Nottingham Forest in the other two games have put the team in a state of introspection.
Even if Mauricio Pochettino is still getting up to speed on the situation, the stakes have been raised thanks in part to a £1 billiоn transfer budget under the new ownership. Having a young team that is still getting used to playing together and developing as individuals simply adds another layer of unpredictability.
One of the chief challenges the new manager has encountered thus far is that his team has not been clinical enough in front of goal. Without a dedicated striker who can chip in with regular scoring, Chelsea has struggled with this problem for a while now.
However, Nicolas Jackson has proven himself to be a highly capable forward, with his runs posing numerous challenges for the opposition’s defense. However, the Senegalese international faced considerable criticism after missing a great scoring opportunity in the most recent match against Forest.
When questioned if Jackson could become a prolific goal scorer, Pochettino still backed the new addition, saying, “Yes of course but he needs time.” His adjustment to the Premier League is essential. He’s doing a great job, but scoring after that will be tough. He makes snap judgments at times, but it just means he needs to slow down and relax; once he does that, he’ll start scoring goals again.
On the right wing, Raheem Sterling’s recent performances have been encouraging, as he appears to be returning to his best form. Pochettino has chosen Ben Chilwell to play on the left wing, and injuries have forced him to switch either Conor Gallagher or Enzo Fernandez into the number 10 position.
However, Pochettino may soon have reinforcements back to his side, which could improve their goal-scoring output. Armando Broja, who has been sidelined since late last year with a significant knee ιnjury, may be brought in as a replacement for Jackson.
The playmaker position will soon see two returnees in Christopher Nkunku and Carney Chukwuemeka. Pochettino would benefit greatly from this, as he might be able to make lineup changes as he sees fit in the first few games of the season.
Whether or not those adjustments would help the team overcome its continuing struggles with clinical play is an open question.