Gonzalo Higuain is the true No. 9 Chelsea need to score and create goals

Chelsea’s win over Huddersfield went a long way in validating their decision to take Gonzalo Higuain on loan. He is the true No. 9 the club have needed to score and create goals.

Chelsea have had a series of problems on the pitch recently. They looked certain to finish the season in the top four but are now just three points ahead of Arsenal – who have a game in hand – in fourth place. They lost back-to-back games against Arsenal and Bournemouth, the latter of which was a 4-0 mauling. The team was conceding goals aplenty while also  struggling to get on the score sheet themselves. Before the game against Huddersfield, they failed to score in three of their last six home games. They had only not been on the board twice in the previous 22 home games.

The team had two strikers – Alvaro Morata and Olivier Giroud – both of whom were struggling for goals. Giroud is great playing as a target man but he can’t be relied upon to score enough goals to help the team. He has just one goal in the Premier League all season.

Morata, on the other hand, has been a major disappointment ever since he arrived at the club. He started well, but a mixture of tactics and injuries derailed his first season. This season was supposed to be better as he had a full year to adapt. It ended up being anything but.

He showed he was not physically or mentally strong enough to lead the line of a big team. As a result, he was sent back to Madrid (Atletico) on an 18 month loan deal.

The two strikers didn’t cover themselves in much glory, but they were only part of Chelsea’s problem. The rest of the team weren’t creating enough chances for the strikers.

Jorginho has been stifled by teams man-marking him. This left a disconnect between the midfield and the attack.

He’s also looked jaded in recent weeks, but the loss of Cesc Fabregas means Jorginho has no real replacement in the squad. Ethan Ampadu was tried in the role but failed to convince. Mateo Kovacic, who has also been tried in that role, seems the best option.

The use of Eden Hazard as a false nine also contributed to the team’s lack of creativity. The Belgian somewhat solved the striker issue, but it created other problems for the team. He’s the only creative player in the team (whatever the stats may tell you, Willian is not good enough), but playing him up front means he rarely touches the ball. He then comes too deep to receive the ball, leaving the team without a focal point in attack.

The winter transfer window gave the club an opportunity to remedy the situation. They attempted to solve the striker problem by bringing Gonzalo Higuaín in on loan. Maurizio Sarri wanted him at the start of the season but the club opted against doing a deal. There was hope in the boardroom that Morata would come good this season.

The Argentine hitman had the best season of his career under Sarri, but he’s no longer the force of nature he was three years ago. He’s 31 years old now and was having a hard time in Milan. He scored eight goals all season: one fewer than Alvaro Morata. His loan signing, fraught with risks, was a show of faith in Sarri’s methods.

Higuaín made his debut in the FA Cup fourth round clash with Sheffield Wednesday but couldn’t mark the occasion with a goal. Willian offered him the chance to take a penalty but he politely declined the offer.

He made his League debut in the debacle at the Vitality stadium and was hooked after the hour mark for Olivier Giroud. He lacked match fitness and it showed as he struggled to get into the game. His next outing came against Huddersfield and he scored his first two goals for the club. The first was a good finish inside the box but his second was a belter from outside it.

The new man was very impressive in the game and his two goals were just rewards for his performance. He had six shots (the highest from any Chelsea player this season) and created two chances for his teammates. He wasn’t just a static figure up front, as he drifted to the right several times to help create chances. His movements in the box were world class and he led the team with pressing from the front.

He performed well not just in the metrics used to judge every striker but in the number one metric used to judge any Chelsea striker: How well did he connect with Eden Hazard? The answer to that question is an emphatic yes.

Hazard is a player who works best with a proper No. 9 in front of him to occupy defenders. Morata’s failure to effectively combine with Hazard is one of the reasons he was the one sent out on loan and not Giroud.

Chelsea seems to have found that man in Higuaín. Hazard also had two goals in the game. Even though Higuain wasn’t directly responsible for either of them, his presence in the team gave the opposition defense someone else to worry about.

There are still issues with Higuain’s fitness and match sharpness, but playing consistently will help him overcome them. He may be a new signing from another league but he does not need much time to adapt to his new team as he is already conversant with Sarriball. He is a confidence player and he’s now playing with a manager who believes in him more than most.

All signs point to him being a success for the club and maybe make his loan deal permanent. Such a scenario will make Sarri especially happy. And as we’ve seen with the two previous permanent managers Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho, a happy head coach is a happy team.

Besides, any striker that can make N’Golo Kante finish a match with two assists must be good, right?