The numbers and reasons behind Chelsea’s abysmal attack

You then wonder why Ziyech has featured even less this season. With the same minutes’ requirements, Ziyech would not even make the cut, as he has only played 648 minutes this season, starting just six games out of an available 35.

It’s fine if managers don’t want to play him, but his extreme exclusion from the team has impacted the 2021 European Champions negatively. This is especially damning when you consider that, despite playing less than 30% of minutes this season so far, Ziyech leads the team in big chances created (6), tied with Raheem Sterling who has played 168% more minutes than the Morocco vice captain.

Goals are a function of chances, and for one to expect players in the team to score goals even at a semi-regular rate, the means to create chances have to be put in place first. It’s clear, and strange, that neither Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, or Frank Lampard has thought it necessary to give Ziyech a bigger role, but the role the former Twente forward played is not being played by anyone else in his absence, and it’s obvious.

Benoit Badiashile is another baffling team selection error. This error dates back to February 3, 2023 when Chelsea selected three new players for the Champions League roster. They had ready-made space for two and had to create space for the third by de-registering Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Enzo Fernandez, Joao Felix, and Mykhailo Mudryk were selected as the new registrants, but Badiashile was left out.