Chelsea's Struggling Forwards: £150m Investment Yields Only Four Goals

Welcome to The Radar, a Sky Sports column where Nick Wright combines data and opinion to shed light on key stories from the Premier League. This week's focus includes: Chelsea's underperforming attacking signings, Semenyo's instant impact at Manchester City, and Brian Brobbey's crucial contributions for Sunderland. Chelsea's fans might not miss Enzo Fernandez, who has work to do to repair his relationship with the fanbase, but his absence deprives them of their second-highest scorer of non-penalty goals this season. The Blues face Manchester City having failed to score in three consecutive games against top-level opposition, and their misfiring attack is a significant problem for Liam Rosenior. Joao Pedro has been a bright spot, with 14 Premier League goals since his £60m arrival from Brighton. However, the rest of the forwards signed last summer have struggled, with Jamie Gittens, Alejandro Garnacho, Liam Delap, and Estevao scoring only four Premier League goals between them despite a combined transfer fee of £150.5m. Estevao, at just 18, has shown promise but has also had to overcome a hamstring injury. The club's youthful recruitment strategy, with an average age of under 21, has left them short on reliable goalscorers. In contrast, Manchester City's signing of Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth has paid dividends, with the 26-year-old scoring more goals in nine Premier League games than Chelsea's young forwards have managed in 78. Semenyo's goal in the FA Cup semi-final demolition of Liverpool was his eighth in all competitions, helping to reinvigorate City's attack. His contribution may lead Chelsea to reflect on their own approach to the transfer market. Elsewhere, Sunderland host Spurs on Sunday, with Brian Brobbey having produced crucial contributions, including a 90th-minute winner in the Tyne-Wear derby. All but one of his six Premier League goals have been decisive, and his goals have been worth eight points to Sunderland this season.