Didier Drogba leaves a hole up front for Chelsea. Can their strikers fill it? We doubt it.
Two weeks ago Chelsea were preparing for the Champions League Final.
They are still soaking in and digesting the glory, but have important business to attend to.
With Didier Drogba leaving, a big responsibility has to be shared up front, and three unhappy strikers have to prove they are up to it.
Fernando Torres, Daniel Sturridge and Romelu Lukaku are all moaning, privately or publicly at their lack of opportunity- but to be fair in their showing none of them have shown the consistency Chelsea require.
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Even Drogba was not at his best for much of last season, but he ended up with 10 goals.
Sturridge (10), Torres (8) and Lukaku (0) provided 18 combined. Even with Drogba it amounted to just 28.
That in essence is why Chelsea failed in the Premier League last season finishing just six.
The amount of goals scored by their strikers was not enough. Look at Wayne Rooney who scored 28 all by himself, or Robin van Persie who bagged 32.
Torres is begging for the responsibility to be the main striker, but quite frankly it is too much of a risk to Chelsea not to buy a new man.
Daniel Sturridge wants to play up front rather than out wide, but he still has much to prove, like Lukaku who has it all to prove.
Why should Chelsea, who can afford the world’s best strikers gamble their expensively assembled midfield and goal creators on three strikers who have question marks hanging over them.
Names have been mentioned like Hulk, who scored 21 last season, Edinson Cavani who struck 33, or Seydou Doumbia who scored 38 for CSKA Moscow.
Signing a fourth striker of this calibre is essential. Four strikers are generally needed by the top clubs, and Lukaku may even be loaned out.
The arrival of a world class strike may upset Fernando Torres who claims he has been promised the chance to lead the line next season, and Sturridge too, but the 18 goals they contributed last season just was not good enough for them to make such demands.
They should know the score, and that is that Chelsea are going to splash the cash on competition for their places whether they like it or not.
Who should be Chelsea’s number one striker next season?
image: © Ben Sutherland
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