Chelsea has had their worst attacking performance in a league season in a long time. However bad you think they were offensively, they were worse than you imagine. The worst part about this under-performance is that…it wasn’t really an under-performance. The Blues produced about how much they were expected to, all things considered. From shots and shots on target, to big chances created, (mainly) Graham Potter’s men were horrendous going forward. CFC ranked 15th for goals scored, with Leeds United and Leicester City – actually relegated teams – ranking higher than the capital team. They also ranked 10th for big chances created, while being 8th for shots per game and 9th for shots on target per game. A pathetic attacking performance indeed.
Here, The Pride of London will rate the forwards for this season, and Mason Mount will be counted as a forward too, as he has mainly played in that area for the west London side. This rating will be done on key metrics like shot creation, goal creation, decisive passing, and decisive carrying. Goals and assists will play a part, but not a major part. Here is how we rate the forwards this season:
Raheem Sterling, No. 17, England: 6.5/10
Sterling ranked high in several key metrics, but was average on others. He recorded the most goals plus assists for Chelsea in the league (9) and created the most clear-cut chances in the same competition. His performances in the UEFA Champions League were decent, scoring the most goals for the 2021 European Champions in the competition. For what the Englishman was bought for, there was a lot to be desired from his performances, and the marquee signing overall had an underwhelming season.
Mason Mount, No. 19, England: 5/10
Mount’s season has been dominated with contract talks rather than talks of his performance in the current season, which tells you all you need to know. Amongst Chelsea forwards, the former Vitesse midfielder ranked third highest for goal-creating actions per 90, but third lowest for shots per 90 and successful dribbles per 90. He also ranked bottom, of all forward, for carries into the penalty area per 90, and he played many 90s. This is why fans trying to make the case for whatever wages he was reported to be demanding, keep citing his performances from previous seasons. Mount was poor this season, which is not a crime as everyone has poor periods in their career. His Champions League and cup performances were nothing to write home about either.
Noni Madueke, No. 31, England: 5.5/10
Many fans expressed their joy at watching the youngster play, especially after he was out of the starting lineup as long as he was. The truth is that Madueke did some things well when he played, and showed enough to suggest that he could be a lot more decisive under Mauricio Pochettino. However, being a forward is more than just dribbling defenders, and Madueke was not decisive enough with his passing often enough.
It may sound harsh, but amongst the Chelsea forwards, the former PSV winger ranked very high for carries into the penalty area and successful dribbles, even ranking high too in shot-creating actions, but created zero clear-cut chances in 12 games he played where he used a lot of the ball. He has something to build on for sure, but with 3.7 carries into the penalty area and just 1.8 chances created per 90, as well as zero big chances, there’s a decision-making issue his next coach needs to address.
Hakim Ziyech, No. 22, Morocco: 7/10
Ziyech was simply Chelsea’s most effective forward this season, too bad he did not play much. Why the Morocco vice-captain did not play, is a question that can only be answered by Thomas Tuchel, Potter, and Frank Lampard. He clearly works hard and is able to carve out shooting and scoring chances for his teammates whenever called upon. Amongst CFC forwards who played up to 180 minutes this season, Ziyech did not only rank high, he topped several key metrics. He ranks first for chances created per 90 (2.1), big chances created per 90 (0.83), and shot-creating actions per 90 (4.36).
The Morocco man also topped the chart for goal-creating actions per 90 (0.41) and passes into the penalty area per 90 (2.6). In addition to these underlying numbers, Ziyech ranked joint first for assists in the league (3) this season. He was inconsequential in the Champions League, starting just one game in Europe. In the cup, he was phenomenal against Manchester City in the EFL Cup, creating two big chances and still ending up on the losing side.
Joao Felix, No. 11, Portugal: 5/10
Felix had an unsuccessful loan, signified by the fact that it has been terminated before the incoming Pochettino has even walked through the door. Whatever you think of Felix, no one can say with a straight face that he was worth the loan fee and wages paid to get him for six months. He has flair, but at the top level, flair is often and should always be mixed with effectiveness. Of Blues forwards to have played up to 180 mins, the Portugal international took the most shots per 90 (4.37) and scored the most goals per 90 (0.38). He completed 2.1 dribbles per 90 yet he only completed 0.86 carries into the penalty area per 90. So no, not a great loan spell.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, No. 9, Gabon: 3/10
Aubameyang was treated unfairly in Chelsea Blue. This is not arguable. However, while his lack of minutes on the pitch may not have been his fault, he also didn’t set the world alight when he played. He scored three goals in all competitions, of course, Graham Potter and Frank Lampard almost completely ostracizing him from Matchday squads didn’t help the former Borussia Dortmund striker regarding his confidence. Aubameyang turned out to be a failed transfer.
David Datro Fofana, No. 27, Cote d’Ivoire: N/A
Datro Fofana doesn’t qualify for a rating as he has played less than 180 minutes in all competitions for Chelsea. There is literally nothing to judge him on.
Kai Havertz, No. 29, Germany: 5/10
Havertz was also underwhelming, unfortunately. Many expected him to push on from the eight league goals he scored last season, but he didn’t. He was aggressive, and tenacious, helping the Blues win battles in the air. He did finish the season with the most league goals for the west London side. Havertz did not rank high enough on any metric to justify giving him more than a 4.5/10 rating. Many say he’s not a striker, but his numbers don’t paint him as anything else really.
Christian Pulisic, No. 10, United States of America: 4
Pulisic mostly made substitute appearances, and even in those, he didn’t really do anything worthwhile, not that there’s anything that can be done in 8 minutes on the pitch. However, Pulisic played more Premier League minutes than Ziyech, and Ziyech’s numbers make for much better reading.
Armando Broja, No. 18, Albania: N/A
Broja didn’t play much and was injured for several months. There isn’t much to go on for him, either. Though he gave opponents different types of problems to worry about. It would be good to see him under Mauricio Pochettino.
Mykhailo Mudryk, Chelsea No. 15, Ukraine: 3/10
Mudryk’s time at Chels‘ has been filled with more off-the-pitch lowlights than on-pitch highlights. From the video he recorded in the gym that earned the “talking to” from Joel Swoll, the bodybuilding tiktoker, to the various rumours of things he’s said or tweeted, Mudryk’s name has come to the attention of the football public for all the wrong reasons. He was registered for the UCL ahead of Benoit Badiashile, a decision that looked silly even at the time, looks outright idiotic now.
The Ukraine man seems unsettled almost every time he plays, has shockingly poor finishing, and erratic dribbling. That said, he has the joint second-most assists in the division for the Blues this season. The most impressive thing about him is that he has the same dribble success rate in the Champions League and Premier League (39%). The Mudryk transfer is not looking good at the moment.