In English football you get a glut of fixtures over the festive period and New Year.

The fixture pile up is fascinating for betting fans and if you enjoy a flutter then you should try betting on sports here.

The hectic schedule can be vital to a football team as the results could help to make or break their season. A manager can assess his squad and see if they need to be improved upon or can handle the strain.

Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri will have watched on in the last month and have decided that he needs a new striker to add more goals to his squad.

The Blues have scored just thirty-eight goals so far this term and that’s the worst scoring record in the Premier League’s top six.

In the last month, Chelsea have played eight league games. While they managed to beat Premier League champions Manchester City, The Blues have also dropped points in three of those fixtures.

Last night they failed to score in a 0-0 draw at home with Southampton. Sarri’s men bossed the game, enjoying 72% of the game’s possession. They also dominated on shots and shots on target but they simply couldn’t find a goal.

Yesterday’s result moves them further away from third placed Tottenham Hotspur and has meant that both Arsenal and Manchester United have moved closer to Chelsea in the league table.

Sarri has two main strikers and neither of them are consistent goalscorers.

Olivier Giroud gives you plenty of endeavour and his work-rate for the team is phenomenal. He is a terrific link-up man and can help bring Eden Hazard into the game in very dangerous positions. But ultimately he’s a centre forward and he’s only scored once in sixteen Premier League games.

Spanish striker Alvaro Morata was meant to be the prolific hitman that Chelsea were looking for. But the former Real Madrid man has failed to deliver on a consistent basis and he seems to struggle in the big games. His scoring record is better than Giroud’s but Maurizio would have wanted more than Alvaro’s five strikes in sixteen league outings.

Sarri has been a bit cagey when discussing a need for a new forward but after last night’s stalemate the Italian told BBC Sport that he wants someone else to help in the final third:

“I think we played a very good match for 80 metres of the pitch, then we were in trouble in the last 20 metres,” 

“We have to try to solve the problem of the last 15, 20 metres. The club knows very well my opinion. I think we need something different for characteristics.”

Personally I think that’s a clear message that Maurizio Sarri desires a new free scoring forward.

Creative attacker Christian Pulisic has already been confirmed by the club but the young American won’t join until next season and he’s a creator not a prolific scorer.

The Sun have a story suggesting that Gonzalo Higuain could be the club’s new main hitman. The Metro believe West Ham United’s Marko Arnautovic could be an alternative if the Higuain move falls through. While The Daily Mail have stated that The Blues could make a £35m move for England international Callum Wilson.

I fully expect Chelsea to go out and bring in a new striker during this transfer window. Any transfer is a gamble but I believe The Blues will need to make that gamble to ensure they stay on course and keep their place in the Premier League’s top four!

Posted on January 3rd, 2019 by scott
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