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Enzo Maresca has been trying to find the answers to Chelsea’s recent drop in form, now finding themselves sixth in the Premier League after 23 games played, having been second in the division at one point over the festive period.
The Blues have been struggling to find the back of the net at the same rate as they were at the start of this campaign, scoring just eight goals in their last seven Premier League fixtures, dropping 15 points from a possible 21 in that time frame.
Chelsea have generated 49.46 xG so far this season, with only Liverpool generating more xG (57.74). However, the Blues are underperforming their xG by -4.46, having scored 45 goals in their 23 games so far.
Adding another clinical finisher to their front line, whether that’s up front or on the wing, could go a long way for Maresca’s side converting their chances and turning those performances into more points.
Chelsea in talks to sign new winger
According to recent reports from Fabrizio Romano, Mathys Tel’s situation will be discussed again this week. Chelsea are still interested in a permanent move for the Frenchman after initial talks took place with Bayern over a move including Christopher Nkunku, potentially as separate deals.
Romano has also stated that seven other clubs are interested in Tel, with loan proposals also available, which could make this final week of the transfer window a busy one for the likes of Bayern Munich and Chelsea.
Tel has only made 13 appearances for the German giants this season so far, yet to score a single goal, providing just one assist and totalling 396 minutes, with the majority of his appearances coming from the bench.
How Matthys Tel compares to Jadon Sancho
Chelsea’s main left-wing option this season has been Jadon Sancho, joining from Manchester United in the summer, making 19 appearances so far this campaign, scoring two goals and providing six assists.
Whilst Tel could provide depth for both the left-wing position and the centre-forward position, also competing with Nicolas Jackson for that spot, it would make sense for the Bayern star to be given minutes in that wide left position, to offer a different set of skills to someone like Sancho.
|
Tel (23/24) vs Sancho (24/25) comparison |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stats (per 90 mins) |
Tel |
Sancho |
|
Goals |
0.63 |
0.15 |
|
Assists |
0.38 |
0.45 |
|
xG |
0.34 |
0.12 |
|
xAG |
0.25 |
0.22 |
|
Progressive Carries |
4.06 |
5.34 |
|
Progressive Passes |
2.56 |
4.75 |
|
Shots Total |
3.75 |
1.27 |
|
Key Passes |
1.20 |
1.86 |
|
Shot-Creating Actions |
4.14 |
3.81 |
|
Shot-Creating Actions (From Shots) |
0.83 |
0.00 |
|
Successful Take-Ons |
3.61 |
2.88 |
|
Stats taken from FBref |
||
When comparing Tel and Sancho, you can begin to assess their differences as players, with the Englishman thriving more as a creator, making more key passes, providing more assists and contributing more to the team’s progression during build-up.
Meanwhile, Tel is a higher volume shooter, looks to be direct in 1v1 scenarios (take-ons) and generates higher xG chances by arriving in the box and scoring goals.
Thierry Henry has given the Bayern winger some high praise, labelling the youngster “exceptional” and praising his mentality at such a young age when coming from the bench ahead of “bigger” players.
The addition of Tel – who’s been described as a “ball-striking machine” and an “elite-level goalscorer” by analyst Ben Mattinson – would clearly offer a higher shot volume and give the Blues are more direct winger, someone who brings differing attributes to the slower and more pass-oriented Sancho.
This option would allow Maresca to make in-game changes in order to affect the game, bringing more goal threat from the bench, or vice versa.
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