Chelsea should take action in January to remedy stagnant attack

Chelsea keep slipping, with the attack looking increasingly toothless. Could a new singing in the January transfer window be the solution?

It’s not a secret anymore, Chelsea are not as formidable in attack as they once were. Maybe the club really are missing Diego Costa? Maybe the players need some fresh motivation? Or maybe this is the best Chelsea can do at the moment?

To be fair, Antonio Conte has just implemented a new formation with a new front line and it has worked well. Nevertheless, Chelsea do not look as threatening as they did in last season. So, what is the problem? And should the Blues look to the January transfer market?

The question is, do Chelsea miss Diego Costa? The answer is a simple “No.” Costa was a bully to defenders, a fighter and, yes, he made things happen when he couldn’t score. However, his overly aggressive behaviour was just that, overly aggressive. Most of the time he seemed focused on fighting rather than scoring.

Instead, Chelsea now have a more complete striker in Alvaro Morata. A player with a lot of quality and even bigger depth of potential. Excellent in headers, quick to make runs in behind and, most importantly, tactically smart. To add to it, Eden Hazard is playing alongside him which, on paper, should be a dynamic duo.

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So, what has gone wrong with Chelsea’s front line?

It is not a run of bad form. The players are creating chances and coming close to scoring more than four goals every game. Therefore, could it be that the players are over confident? One could argue that the likes of Alvaro Morata and Eden Hazard are sure starters in the team. In fact, the Blues wouldn’t be able to create, much less score, any goals without them. But, since they know they will play almost every game, are they getting comfortable?

There is no questioning their loyalty and desire to win. They want to win and, of course, they are loyal to the team. But, perhaps what they need is a little competition to start scoring those four or five goals and finish off teams.

An addition to the front line would likely be the best solution – especially since Conte does not fully trust Batshuayi to be a game winner. Not only would Morata feel like he needs to prove himself, but it could also help Hazard take his game to the next level and push Batshuayi to fulfill his potential.

Let’s run down the reasons.

First, let us talk about Alvaro Morata. The Spaniard, as stated before, is a great player with all the qualities of a true talisman. However, during the course of a season, players can get nice and cozy in their position, especially if they feel no-one stepping on their heels.

The Spanish international has missed some crucial chances in the past few games. Therefore, some fans believe the only way he could take off his warm blanket and furry winter socks is to realize that he is not untouchable. With all of his talent, he will step up to the plate and provide the goods for the team once a warning sign is placed in front of him.

Second, the great Eden Hazard. While Chelsea’s number 10 has arguably been the best player of the season for the Blues so far, he can be even better. The Belgium is incredibly smart, quick, slick, etc…but even the likes of him can stagnate.

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What better way to bring the best out of that special someone in your life? Show him that he isn’t the one and only for you and that others are willing to give you what you want (ie. goals and results). With a new addition to the team and with the new formation Conte has adopted, Hazard will be forced to step up his game and be the very best he could be. Being more clinical and scoring game-winning goals is one area he could improve in. Perhaps he could be the first Ballon d’Or winner for the Blues?

Third, the forgotten hero, Michy Batshuayi. He hardly gets to see the light of day now. While he is a fan favorite, and hilariously good on Twitter, Conte does not seem to trust him. Even with the competition of Morata, Chelsea’s number 23 seems to have hit a wall.

While most people believe he is good, he definitely isn’t a great fit to start. A new player would not only bring further weight to his shoulders, but could teach him a thing or two. After all, Drogba was a role model and a teacher to the less experienced players of the team.

Batshuayi has a lot of potential and could be very dangerous. But he would need a guiding hand in order to become one of the best and prove to Conte that he can get the job done.

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Conte and his men will play against Huddersfield Town this Tuesday night. On the back of Saturday’s performance, it will be nervy to say the least. However, with the January transfer window right around the corner, fans are expecting some transfer action. Who should be brought in? Let us know your nominees and reasons in the comments below!