Michy Batshuayi keeps showing Chelsea what they are missing – and missed

Michy Batshuayi scored his fourth and fifth goals – an equalizer and a winner – in his third game with Borussia Dortmund. He has now scored in all six competitions between Chelsea and Dortmund.

Michy Batshuayi is an even better fit at Borussia Dortmund than previously thought. Dortmund are an enigmatic, puzzling, sometimes nonsensical team. Their ability to juxtapose moments of brilliance with prolonged spells of absurdity, the disparity between their ambitions and their hiring and firing of managers, the persistence of an absolute vacuum in defence… Much like Batshuayi’s time at Chelsea, none of it makes any sense.

With his brace against Atalanta in the Europa League, Batshuayi has now scored in both European competitions, the Premier League, Bundesliga and both English domestic cups. If only Bayern had not defeated Dortmund in the DFC-Pokal, Batshuayi would likely go 7-for-7.

No one at Chelsea or elsewhere could have doubted Batshuayi’s scoring ability. But his reputation at Chelsea – a function of his persistent usage as a super-sub – was as a poacher. Come into the game late, let the rest of the squad build up pressure, poke in a goal. Just ask West Bromwich Albion and Atletico Madrid for all you need to know. Atalanta joined their ranks on Thursday with Batshuayi’s second.

But at Borussia Dortmund, Batshuayi is playing as a full-pitch centre-forward. His first goal on Thursday was an 18-yard laser into the top corner. Before that moment Batshuayi’s best actions were a strong turn at midfield to transition Dortmund onto the break, a backheel pass to Christian Pulisic to send the American in on goal and the second assist via a long pass for Andre Schurrle’s opener.

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Batshuayi has now played 270 minutes for his German loan home. The only notable shortcoming compared to the archetypal “Antonio Conte striker” is his hold-up play. Batshuayi is still not strong bringing his teammates into the play with his back to goal, whether at the top of the box or in midfield.

However, he is more than capable of taking a turn in either situation to advance the play himself or fire a shot. As he showed against Atalanta, he can flick the ball quickly enough so he can avoid the hold-up situation. Batshuayi has other means of achieving the same end as traditional centre-forward hold-up play. For a coach who speaks so often of tailoring the right suit for his players, Antonio Conte seems to have applied a very rigid set of expectations to Michy Batshuayi.

A more generous interpretation is Batshuayi is showing everything he learned in his time at Chelsea. Training under a demanding coach and alongside strikers like Diego Costa and Alvaro Morata, Batshuayi learned how to play Conte-ball but just did not have the opportunity to do it. Unfortunately, Eden Hazard’s repeated stints as a false-nine undercut this hopeful read.

Michy Batshuayi is looking more like the multi-dimensional centre-forward Chelsea thought they were buying in the summer of 2016 than the late-game poacher he became in the subsequent 18 months. Alvaro Morata and Olivier Giroud must have the complete package Antonio Conte looks for, because it is increasingly apparent Batshuayi is missing only one element.

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Chelsea will have little reason not to welcome Michy Batshuayi back to Stamford Bridge next season with a place in the regular squad. The Blues will then have three potent and proven strikers. This will give them the depth and substitution options necessary to play in either of Antonio Conte’s preferred formations, a true 3-5-2 or a 4-2-4.