Keep or sell: Evaluating Armando Broja’s future at Chelsea
By Bryan Martin
Chelsea fit
The real question is not whether Broja is an ascending talent—that much is undeniable—but rather if his talent can be fully realized in Tuchel’s current system at Chelsea. Supporters have seen promising strikers such as Abraham, Lukaku and Werner rendered useless in a scheme that seems to use strikers more as decoys than focal points.
Theoretically, Broja seems like an excellent fit in a Chelsea system that seems to want to have a high-pressing forward creating havoc as defenders look to advance the ball. This is why the scheme seems most effective when Havertz plays up top, as he did in the 2-0 win over Lille on Tuesday. His size, strength and ability to apply pressure almost immediately after the opposition tries to advance serves as a chance-creation mechanic that capitalizes on the opponent’s mistakes. This is also why fans see statuesque players suffer in this system.
Broja would likely thrive most in a partnership with Havertz where both can be deployed into a fluid counter-press ideology while using their gravity to draw defenders in, leaving opportunities for progressive passes to overlapping players. This is a type of play Tuchel has rarely been able to unlock with Abraham and Lukaku and may ultimately lead to a more dynamic and consistent attack as time progresses.
One of the largest concerns is that Tuchel will be strategic when applying a counter-press and that will still leave a significant amount of time where the squad is utilizing a possession-based system. In this circumstance, Broja would likely become a complete non-factor, as he’s not displayed the highest level of competency as a target striker or in his hold-up play.