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

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, the focus is on Chelsea's underperforming attacking recruits, Semenyo's instant impact for Manchester City, and Brobbey's crucial contributions for Sunderland. Chelsea's supporters may not miss Enzo Fernandez in their upcoming match against Manchester City, but his absence deprives them of their second-highest scorer of non-penalty goals this season. The team's misfiring attack is a significant concern for Liam Rosenior, with Joao Pedro being the only bright spot, having scored 14 Premier League goals since his £60m arrival from Brighton. In contrast, the other forwards signed last summer, including Jamie Gittens, Alejandro Garnacho, Liam Delap, and Estevao, have struggled to make an impact, with a combined total of just four Premier League goals despite costing £150.5m in transfer fees. Finishing has been a significant issue, with all four players underperforming their expected goals. Meanwhile, Manchester City's recruitment strategy, exemplified by the 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 Chelsea's young forwards have managed in 78 games. Elsewhere, Sunderland host Spurs, and Brian Brobbey's clutch performances will be crucial for the home team. His six Premier League goals have been worth eight points to Sunderland, making him a vital player for the team.