Chelsea fans had been frustrated by a lack of substitutions from Enzo Maresca over the past few months.
They’ve not fully utilised the squad he has at his disposal and has often stuck with a familiar 12/13 players that he trusted in the Premier League.
One of the common substitutions in this time frame was Christopher Nkunku coming on up front to replace Nicolas Jackson, despite the fact the Frenchman is naturally an attacking midfielder, which often actually caused the Blues’ performance to drop off.
Many have pointed towards the fact that Aston Villa had Ollie Watkins and Jhon Duran competing for a starting spot, both being utilised in the Premier League and Champions League, both bringing different qualities to the squad and allowing Unai Emery to change his personnel based on the game plan.
It’s something Maresca must look at replicating in the coming months.
The Jhon Duran effect
Previously linked with a move to Stamford Bridge, Duran made 29 appearances for Aston Villa this season, scoring 12 goals and totalling 1,043 minutes played.
It became something of a trademark for the 21-year-old striker, coming from the bench in the Premier League to score important goals for the Villans.
The raw physical attributes, excellent ball striking and box instincts made Duran stand out, with the Colombian eventually deciding to leave the club in January to get first-team football on a consistent basis, joining Saudi outfit Al Nassr for a fee of around £65m.
Chelsea have been looking for this striker profile themselves, but they may already have their answer waiting in the wings after a brilliant performance from the bench against West Ham got people thinking.
Chelsea’s answer to Jhon Duran
Chelsea signed a certain Marc Guiu from Barcelona in the summer for a fee of around £5m, with the 19-year-old already making 13 appearances for the Blues, scoring six goals – all in the UEFA Conference League.
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The key difference between Guiu and Jackson is the fact the Spaniard is clearly more of an old-school centre-forward. He looks to stay in and around the box, pin defenders, make clever runs and ultimately stick the ball in the back of the net. On the flip side, the Senegal star is a more modern-day striker, looking to contribute to all phases, link play and be involved.
|
Marc Guiu vs West Ham stats |
|
|---|---|
|
Stat |
Guiu |
|
Minutes |
38 |
|
Touches |
13 |
|
Accurate Passes |
7/8 |
|
Key Passes |
1 |
|
Ground Duels Won |
1/1 |
|
Tackles |
1 |
|
Stats taken from Sofascore |
|
Guiu entered the fray against West Ham in the second half, giving Chelsea a different dynamic up front, with a bigger box presence to aim at from crosses.
This actually led to their equaliser, Guiu putting enough pressure on the ball when challenging for an aerial duel, which allowed it to drop to the feet of Marc Cucurella, leading to Enzo Fernández’s blocked shot, which was then turned in by Pedro Neto.
Chelsea legend, Joe Cole, spoke extremely highly of Guiu on TNT Sports, stating he believes the forward can go “all the way” while praising the young centre-forward for his predatory instincts inside the box and high energy when leading the press. Talent scout Jacek Kulig has also spoken highly of the teenager, labelling him as a “nightmare for centre-backs.“
Whilst he is only 19-years-old and clearly not quite ready yet, with the transfer window now closed, Maresca will have to take a look at some internal solutions between now and the end of the season.
Giving Guiu – their answer to Duran off the bench – increased chances as a substitute and in cup competitions as the striker seems the most logical decision.
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