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

Welcome to The Radar, a Sky Sports column where Nick Wright blends data and opinion to shed light on key Premier League stories. This week's focus includes: Chelsea's underperforming attacking signings, Semenyo's instant impact at Manchester City, and Brobbey's clutch performances for Sunderland. Chelsea face Manchester City on Sunday without Enzo Fernandez, who has been sidelined due to comments about Real Madrid. His absence leaves a void, as he is the team's second-highest scorer of non-penalty goals this season. The pressure now falls on other players to step up, given Chelsea's recent struggles to score against top-level opposition. Their misfiring attack is a significant concern for Liam Rosenior. Joao Pedro has been a bright spot, with 14 Premier League goals since his £60m arrival from Brighton. However, other forwards signed last summer have underwhelmed. Jamie Gittens, Alejandro Garnacho, Liam Delap, and Estevao have combined for just four Premier League goals, despite costing £150.5m in transfer fees. Estevao, at just 18, shows promise, but the lack of immediate returns from these signings raises questions about Chelsea's recruitment strategy. Finishing has been a significant issue, with all four players underperforming their expected goals. Delap has been the biggest culprit, scoring nearly three goals fewer than expected. The struggles of these young players, with an average age of under 21, leave Chelsea short on reliable goalscorers. In contrast, Manchester City's signing of Antoine Semenyo has yielded more goals in nine games than Chelsea's four signings have managed in 78 games. Semenyo's arrival has reinvigorated City's attack, easing their reliance on Erling Haaland. His visit to Stamford Bridge on Sunday may prompt Chelsea to reevaluate their transfer approach. Elsewhere, Sunderland host Spurs, and Brian Brobbey's clutch performances will be crucial. Brobbey has scored six Premier League goals, with all but one being decisive. His goals have been worth eight points to Sunderland this season. A busy Super Sunday schedule includes Crystal Palace vs Newcastle, Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa, and Sunderland vs Spurs, before Chelsea's meeting with Manchester City.