Chelsea: Center forward in 2020-21 may be a very contested position

The contest for center forward at Chelsea in 2020-21 may be a competition between Tammy Abraham and Timo Werner rather than a shared duty.

The end of the 2019-20 season is fast approaching. Chelsea has had a fast restart. It is keeping ahead of but not distancing itself from Wolves and Manchester United for the fourth and last Champions League spot in the Premier table. It can ill afford a slip up at this point with a mere six matches to go in their season. There is very little margin for error.

Putting that aside for the moment, the striker position will be a position to watch for the Blues in 2020-21. The candidates at present are Tammy Abraham who has had a fine season thus far in the Premier League. Then, Olivier Giroud who started the first two games after the restart.

Abraham only started in the third game. Contract issues have been in the news for Abraham for some time. Whether that has had any bearing on the situation (unlikely) or other factors that have been preeminent is not known. But one thing is clear: Abraham seems to have a subordinate role to Giroud so far.

With six games to go in the season, obviously, Frank Lampard’s number one goal is to achieve a top four finish and Champions League football in 2020-21. Of that, there can be no doubt. A lot is riding on that outcome. He thus will certainly use those whom he thinks will best assist him in achieving that goal. So far, it’s been Giroud first in two of three games. Abraham in the third.

In addition to significant Champions League remuneration, qualification also ensures that participation in that top competition will be a plus in transfer discussions that will take place after that determination is made. Fortunately for Chelsea, they have already signed Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner no matter the outcome. But qualification will assist in luring other top talents to the Bridge. And they may do just that. Hello Kai Havertz!

While the recent selection of Olivier Giroud to start two of Chelsea’s first three post restart games has been a surprise, Giroud, even at 33 years of age, is still a top center forward. He makes his teammates better even if he doesn’t get on the score sheet. He has and will do that in the future for Chelsea, at least for another season after signing his one year extension. The question of who leads the line in 2020-21 is an altogether different situation. Chelsea will have the luxury of three top center forwards to choose from. One might say, it’s an embarrassment of riches. Because it is.

The aforementioned Giroud is one of, if not the best back to goal center forwards in the business as noted by Eden Hazard some time ago. Giroud is a very underappreciated star whose contributions to every team on which he plays are far and away more significant than his appearances on the score sheet. But at this stage of his career, Giroud is more likely a backup center forward. Maybe. And the starting choices upfront next season will almost certainly be Tammy Abraham and Timo Werner.

Abraham has had a very good season for Chelsea, especially early on. He later suffered an injury that severely curtailed his appearances and his effectiveness. He was supplanted by Giroud. That Giroud has supplanted Abraham in two of Chelsea’s’ three games post restart to fate leads to two possible conclusions.

One, Abraham is not yet fully fit and thus has to be limited in minutes. Two, Giroud has won the top spot at center forward and enjoys the full confidence of Frank Lampard going forward. The long layoff due to the coronavirus would hopefully have allowed Abraham to fully heal from his injury. If it hasn’t, that is an issue of itself. Whatever the reason, Lampard has chosen to start Giroud in two of the first three games rather than starting Abraham. That is a telling sign. Ostensibly, it means that either Abraham is not fully fit or Lampard has determined that Giroud may be the better option. If the latter is the case, it bodes ill for Abraham in 2020-21.

The reason for this pessimism is the introduction to the team of Timo Werner. Werner is a sniper, a top goal scorer who has been a dominant force in the Bundesliga. Absent the presence of the other worldly Robert Lewandowski of Bayern), Werner would have been the top scorer in that league. He is a Chelsea player as of July 1, 2020. That’s good news for Chelsea fans. Very good news.

Werner is a versatile forward who has played center forward and on the left-wing. He could play with Giroud or Abraham or in their place. Thus, Lampard has a difficult yet positive selection choice to make next season. Lampard can tailor his front line to counter the opposition’s back line. It’s a good position to be in, provided he can keep everyone happy. That’s a difficult proposition when all three are top players. But Werner’s versatility provides an opportunity to make everyone happy. Theoretically.

One thing is certain as the club starts thinking about 2020-21 (while focused on 2020): Werner will play. His goal scoring ability will not be on the bench. Where he plays will be up to Abraham, Giroud, the opponent, and in the first case, Frank Lampard. Lampard will evaluate what he sees and act accordingly. It has been clear in his brief tenure at the club that Lampard is all business. He will play whomever, whenever he thinks it will help him win the match. As well he should.

That’s his objective. How this plays out in the forward positions in 2020-21 will be interesting to watch. With that much talent in the center forward position along with Hakim Ziyech, Christian Pulisic, Callum Hudson-Odoi, and maybe even Willian, it’s bound to work out well for Chelsea. Lampard wants talent and competition for Chelsea, and without a doubt, he’ll have that in the front line next season. And if he secures the transfer of Kai Havertz, he’ll have even more.

Hopefully, Chelsea will hurry up and seal a top four position this season and get moving onto 2020-21. It’s going to be a heckuva ride.