Chelsea transfers: Could a striker be a necessary purchase in January?

The most recent COVID-19 outbreak in the English top flight has seen nearly every club put at a disadvantage at one stage or another over the last few weeks. Chelsea specifically had it difficult when it failed to include an attacker in its reserves against Everton and couldn’t even name a full bench against Wolves. The Blues’ Coronavirus issues are seemingly behind them, but not without some ramifications. They dropped to third in the Premier League and finished second in their UEFA Champions League group following a disappointing draw in St. Petersburg.

If the injury crisis at the club and Coronavirus outbreak at Cobham have shown us anything, it’s that Chelsea’s ranks are not full of as much depth as supporters boasted at the beginning of the current campaign. Thomas Tuchel has struggled at times to fill spots in the starting XI, notably in the midfield and along the front line. The most recent example of these struggles has been the German’s decision to line Christian Pulisic up as a No. 9 numerous times over the last few weeks. The American has flopped each time, yet the Blues are simply out of options at the moment. This has created a dilemma within the Chelsea camp, to buy a striker or not to buy a striker in January?

Does Chelsea need to buy another striker in the January transfer window?

A quick glance at the Blues’ attacking ranks would likely be enough to convince anybody that they do not need to add another body up front. However, a plethora of these players are utilized in wide areas. Only Kai Havertz, Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner can truly lead the line. The German pairing can also play out wide—arguably better than when they line up as a center forward in Chelsea’s current 3-4-3—which means Lukaku is the only natural No. 9 that will regularly excel in Tuchel’s one-striker formation. The likelihood that all three find themselves out again at the same time is slim to none. Nevertheless, it’s something the club should have planned for going into the campaign knowing how COVID-19 has impacted the Premier League over the last few years.

Another reason to consider the purchase of another striker is the seemingly inevitable switch to a dual-striker formation in the future. Lukaku and Werner have been match fit during the same period very few times this season. That being said, when the two prolific goalscorers are named to Tuchel’s matchday squad, there has been an itch from the German to try out a 3-5-2. Both excelled elsewhere in this shape—Lukaku at Inter Milan and Werner at RB Leipzig—and it allows the stars to combine their juxtaposed styles into a lethal striking duo. Perhaps the reason it works best is because there is someone (Werner) to make runs in behind the defense when Lukaku pulls central defenders out of position. Chelsea’s wingers have failed to do that many times this season, hence the Belgian’s struggles to get too heavily involved in some matches.

The issues with changing to a 3-5-2 are two-fold. First and foremost, the Blues lack the depth required to play in a two-striker system. Havertz is the only other player in the team with extensive experience playing as a second striker. Fans have debated for months about whether or not individuals like Callum Hudson-Odoi and Pulisic could play there. The fact of the matter is, until they get minutes there in a meaningful match, there is no real point in hypothesizing about it. The second issue involves the two aforementioned players. The other wingers (namely Mason Mount, Hakim Ziyech and even Havertz) are undoubtedly able to play as a No. 10 sitting in behind the two strikers. There is no telling whether or not Hudson-Odoi or Pulisic could do this considering the fact that they excel in space out wide.

Regardless, in order to properly staff the squad for a shape shift, Chelsea could need to dip into the transfer market and add more depth at striker. Tuchel is a tactical genius and part of that is due to his unpredictability as a manager. He hasn’t necessarily stated his desire to change shapes, but recent struggles and subtle hints throughout the season suggest it could be coming sooner rather than later.

What do you think Chelsea needs in January? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!