Chelsea's £150m Forwards Struggle to Find the Net

Get the latest insight from 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 is on: Chelsea's underperforming attacking signings, Semenyo's instant impact at Manchester City, Brobbey's clutch performances for Sunderland, and a player to watch this weekend. Chelsea fans may not miss Enzo Fernandez, who is absent for their meeting with Manchester City, but his absence means they will be without their second-highest scorer of non-penalty goals this season. The team has struggled to score in three consecutive games against top-level opposition, and their misfiring attack is a 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, including Jamie Gittens, Alejandro Garnacho, Liam Delap, and Estevao, have struggled, scoring just four Premier League goals between them despite a combined transfer fee of £150.5m. Finishing has been an issue, with all four players underperforming expected goals. Their struggles raise questions about Chelsea's recruitment strategy, which has focused on youthful players. In contrast, Manchester City's signing of Antoine Semenyo has shown the value of recruiting for the present. Semenyo has scored more goals in nine Premier League games for City than Gittens, Delap, Garnacho, and Estevao have managed in 78 games for Chelsea. His goal in the FA Cup semi-final demolition of Liverpool was his eighth in all competitions, and his contribution has helped to reinvigorate City's attack. Meanwhile, Sunderland host Spurs on Sunday, and Brian Brobbey will be looking to continue his clutch performances. The striker's six Premier League goals have been crucial, and his goals have been worth a total of eight points to Sunderland this season. Other key matches include Crystal Palace vs Newcastle, Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa, and Chelsea's meeting with Manchester City.