If there’s one thing that has separated Chelsea from the rest of the top six this season, it has to be the lack of a consistent goalscorer.
Neither Olivier Giroud nor Alvaro Morata have been able to ease the burden on Eden Hazard and Chelsea acted in this transfer window to bring Gonzalo Higuain to Stamford Bridge.
The Argentine, who was specifically requested by Maurizio Sarri after their time together at Napoli, made his much-anticipated debut on Sunday at home to Sheffield Wednesday.
There was an opening for Higuain within the first 20 minutes, when he made an intelligent run across the defenders onto a pass from Mateo Kovacic. His touch let him down however and Tom Lees was able to make the block.
Gonzalo Higuain of Chelsea shoots while under pressure from Tom Lees of Sheffield Wednesday during the FA Cup Fourth Round match between Chelsea and Sheffield Wednesday at Stamford Bridge on January 27, 2019 in London, United Kingdom.
Image credit: Getty Images
Then came the real head-scratcher of the first-half: when Chelsea were awarded a penalty Willian offered it to Higuain on his debut.
However the forward turned it down and allowed Willian to take it. Now there are a few ways to try and interpret this. Firstly, perhaps Higuain didn’t want to seem to demanding in his first appearance for the club. Or perhaps he was wary of the risks of missing a penalty on debut at home? Or maybe, and perhaps most worryingly, he didn’t have faith in himself.
In the second half there was a glanced header wide from a cross from Ethan Ampadu and realistically he will have been upset that he wasn’t able to force that on target.
Chelsea's Argentinian striker Gonzalo Higuain (L) watches the ball during the English FA Cup fourth round football match between Chelsea and Sheffield Wednesday at Stamford Bridge in London on January 27, 2019.
Image credit: Getty Images
The rest of the game, of which Higuain played around 80 minutes, followed a fairly repetitive path for the forward.
His movement was very good, everything you would expect from a player with a record like Higuain. However Chelsea couldn’t really get him in the game or create any chances for him.
Higuain is never going to be a Diego Costa or Didier Drogba type of striker, a forward who creates his own chances and bullies defences on his own. He’s more of a poacher and as such his productivity will rely on those around him.
Much of the play involving Higuain looked like a player whose team-mates were unfamiliar with his movement. The ball was always a fraction away, that pass not quite there.
Gozalo Higuain of Chelsea shakes hands with Maurizio Sarri, Manager of Chelsea as he is subbed during the FA Cup Fourth Round match between Chelsea and Sheffield Wednesday at Stamford Bridge on January 27, 2019 in London, United Kingdom.
Image credit: Getty Images
Of course more than likely that will come with time, as the Chelsea players and Higuain get used to each other and figure out different movements and link-ups.
Don’t forget either that this was a Chelsea team without Jorginho, who played with Higuain at Napoli, and their star man Hazard; how the little Belgian and his new striker play together will be pivotal for the rest of Chelsea’s season.
It is of course far too early to be taking drastic conclusions from this match but Higuain’s arrival doesn’t necessarily change a big issue for Chelsea: they need more creativity. Aside from Hazard it doesn’t feel as if too many chances are getting created, and there needs to be more from the midfield in particular.
That first-half pass from Kovacic could be an encouraging sign of things to come: perhaps Higuain’s movement can offer a different option compared to Morata or Giroud.
It would have been perfect had Higuain capped off his Chelsea debut with a goal but this match was a bit of a free hit for him; this was about getting some minutes for him and introducing him to the fans.
The real test will come on Wednesday when they travel to Bournemouth Then it will be imperative that he hits the ground running.
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