Chelsea's Struggling Forwards: £150m Spent, Only Four Goals to Show

Welcome to The Radar, a Sky Sports column where Nick Wright uses data and opinion to shed light on key Premier League stories. This week, the spotlight is on Chelsea's underperforming attacking recruits, Semenyo's instant impact at Man 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 means they will be without their second-highest scorer of non-penalty goals this season. Chelsea's misfiring attack is a concern for Liam Rosenior, especially given their failure to score in three consecutive games against top-level opposition. 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 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. At just 18, Estevao has shown promise, but the others have underperformed, with finishing being a major issue. Delap has scored nearly three goals fewer than expected, while Garnacho has also struggled to hold down a place. Their struggles raise questions about Chelsea's recruitment strategy, which has focused on young players. In contrast, Manchester City's signing of Antoine Semenyo has paid off, with the 26-year-old scoring more goals in nine games than Chelsea's young forwards have in 78. Semenyo's goal in the FA Cup semi-final against Liverpool was his eighth in all competitions, and his impact has helped reinvigorate City's attack. Meanwhile, Sunderland host Spurs on Sunday, with Brian Brobbey looking to continue his clutch performances. The striker has scored six Premier League goals, with all but one being crucial. His goals have been worth eight points to Sunderland this season, making him a vital player for the team. Other key matches on Sunday include Crystal Palace vs Newcastle and Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa, before Chelsea's meeting with Man City at 4:30 pm.