Chelsea news – The Blues have invested heavily in buying promising young players with a clear message being sent to Mauricio Pochettino by two youth stars
Chelsea may have found their next Eden Hazard with a double message sent to Mauricio Pochettino (Image: (Photo by Joris Verwijst/BSR Agency/Getty Images))
Mauricio Pochettino may have the answer to a major issue that has plagued Chelsea for the last 12 months. Scoring goals has been a real difficulty for the Blues in recent times with only 38 scored in the league last season and the problems finding the back of the net seem to have rolled into the new season under Pochettino.
In Chelsea’s last two games blanks have been drawn against Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest with the west Londoners only picking up one point from a possible six. In August, Pochettino’s first victory as Chelsea boss came against Luton Town with Raheem Sterling and Nicolas Jackson on target, but prior to that it was just one point taken and two goals scored from games against West Ham and Liverpool.
The injury to Christopher Nkunku appears to have greatly affected plans with the Jackson of pre-season struggling to make an impact in competitive action. Cole Palmer, Noni Madueke and Mykhailo Mudryk could all provide goals however none of the trio have really been given a lasting chance to impress.
Elsewhere, Armando Broja is closing in on a return from injury with Pochettino giving an update on his current situation while also insisting not too much pressure can be placed on his shoulders. “Maybe we need one day more, maybe Armando Broja can be involved, maybe Sunday. Not sure, we need to assess him tomorrow,” he said in a press conference on Friday.
“We cannot expect Broja, if he has the possibility to play, will score with every single touch, he needs time to feel the competition and to start to perform in the way that we expect.” While answers to the lack of goals are needed now in the senior team, a long-term option looks to have made itself very clear.
Brazilian wonderkid Deivid Washington was one of the many young talents signed by the Blues this past summer. The 18-year-old was on the bench for the last two Premier League games but his first start for Chelsea arrived with the under-21s on Friday night for their clash against Manchester City.
Eight minutes after Man City took the lead, Washington swept home an equaliser from close-range after starting the move by switching the ball out wide to Josh Brooking. While eyes would have likely been on Washington and Alex Matos, who also impressed, as Chelsea’s latest additions, it was actually Brooking who stole the show.
With the game level heading into the final knockings, the 21-year-old picked up the ball in his own half and went on a powerful solo run which placed him inside the penalty area before he chopped back outside a Man City defender and finished expertly.
The goal was a superb one and it was very similar to the wonder strike from Eden Hazard against Arsenal in 2017. Brooking is naturally a defender, but that run and finish, on top of his precise assist for Washington, seemed to prove otherwise. While he is clearly considered a defender, that jinking run shows he is more than capable of playing further forward with the possibility of being deployed at wing-back, to maximise all his strengths, certainly on the table.
Soucre: football.london
