“The only thing we need is to score.”
Those were the words of Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino after Sunday's 1-0 home defeat to Aston Villa left them 14th in the Premier League with five points from six games.
So why is Chelsea struggling for goals and points?
Overview
It is the first time since 2000/01 that Chelsea have won just one of their first six games in a Premier League season, while they suffered three defeats in their first six games for the first time since 2015/16.
They have won just nine times in their last 38 Premier League games (a full season) and are ranked 14th out of the 17 clubs represented in the top flight for the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons.
Since Graham Potter was sacked on April 2, Chelsea have won twice in 16 Premier League games and taken a total of 11 points. Premier League table with
players since Graham Potter's first game as Chelsea manager (October 1, 2022)*
Goal fights
Despite having the second-highest number of opponents' penalty area touches in the Premier League this season (241 behind Tottenham's 250), Chelsea have only scored five goals. Only Luton (three) and Burnley (four) have scored fewer points in the top flight so far. Brighton have scored the most goals with 18.
His total of five goals compares to a total expected goals (xG) of over 11.Their goals and xG differential is the largest in the division.
They also converted just 16.7% of their big chances (the second worst rate in the league) and missed 15 of their 18 big chances. Sheffield United have missed all six of their “big chances” this season.
They have failed to score in 13 Premier League games in 2023, more than any other team, and have won just nine of their last 38 league games.
Chelsea need answers before the season ends: analysis
“Christopher Nkunku, signed for £52m, has been one of the bright spots of pre-season; his goals and link-up play looked promising. Pochettino had spoken about pairing Nicolas Jackson and Nkunku, but due to the Frenchman's long knee injury sustained in pre-season, he was unable to do so in the Premier League.
“Seven other first-team players are currently injured, including captain Reece James, meaning Pochettino cannot work with his strongest XI.”
“Pochettino faces the challenge of getting his forward line to fire. Jackson has scored one goal in his six games this season and is now suspended after receiving five yellow cards and Pochettino has spoken to him about his discipline."
“Mykhailo Mudryk is yet to score for the club following his £88m move from Shakhtar Donetsk in January. Raheem Sterling started the season brilliantly but was unable to add to the other two goals he scored in the win over Luton and Noni Madueke However, he struggled with his fitness and was unable to return to form.
“The situation Pochettino finds himself in is unique, but Chelsea must find answers before their season slips away.”
What do the experts say?
Chelsea have spent around £1bn on players in three transfer windows since Todd Boehly took charge of the club in May 2022, but have suffered a number of injuries this season.
Pochettino has made one of the fewest changes (five) to his starting XI from game to game this season, using a total of 20 players. Only Crystal Palace (three changes), Tottenham (four), Aston Villa (five) and Brentford (five) have had similar consistency in selection.
However, former Chelsea striker Chris Sutton believes the club does not have "an impressive first eleven at all" compared to others in the "upper echelons of the Premier League".
“We know points are an issue but if you look at their first XI they are more of a developing team,” Sutton said on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Monday Night Club.
"What I find interesting about his first six [league] games, I thought he had done it and changed a lot, but that wasn't actually the case."
“There were eight players in the starting line-up in each game, so they had the opportunity to pick up the pace and find the rhythm.”
Andros Townsend played under Pochettino at Tottenham and says the Argentine's lack of change is a sign of how much he enjoys working, having backed his former manager for long-term success.
“Working with Pochettino, like I did at Spurs, he always gives the players a flow of the game,” Townsend told Monday Night Club.
“He doesn’t just give players one game and then eliminate them because they didn’t play well. He likes to give them a variety of games. Then if they don't perform, they'll be dropped from the team for a while." The next four or five weeks. So that's how it works.
“He loves a project.He loves turning unknown players into world-class players.
“I would be very surprised if Pochettino didn't say in his interview for the job: 'Listen, this is a project; it will take a few years. The first six months may not work, but they will come 'well in the second half of the season.'"
Townsend added: "If Chelsea aren't creating chances and aren't playing well, you can blame it entirely on Pochettino, but we're still at the start of the season and his team are creating a lot of chances."
Chelsea are not taking part in any European competitions this season and are already nine points behind the top four in the Premier League in the battle for Champions League qualification.Given the club's record spending, football finance expert Kieran Maguire believes there could be an impact on financial fair play if spending does not improve.
“There is certainly a liquidity problem at Chelsea and if they don't qualify for Europe that will add to the complications, ” he said.
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