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da winzada777： Alvaro Morata has often cut a frustrated figure at Chelsea. Despite his nigh-on perfect start to life as a Chelsea player, scoring seven goals in his opening eight games as a Blue, the Spaniard has severely struggled to emulate such form in the following months.
He concluded last season having amassed a decent total of 15 goals in 48 games in all competitions, but the Spaniard has only netted three goals in 12 appearances this term, with only two of them being scored in the league.
Statistically, the 26-year-old is Chelsea’s most prolific striker as Giroud has yet to open his account. And, despite that numerical advantage over the experienced Frenchman, many supporters of the west London outfit would start the latter in favour of the former.
Morata’s demeanour and his off-field issues have been spoken about at great length, and while a striker’s primary responsibility is to score goals, he isn’t scoring frequently enough to warrant an instantaneous position in Sarri’s starting eleven. Similarly, his general contribution has been lacking in its purposefulness, which often renders his presence inconsequential. It has even prompted Ruud Gullit to claim that Chelsea’s other attacking talents are consciously avoiding to pass to Morata.
While such cries do seem far-fetched the attacking players, Hazard in particular, are far more at ease when Giroud is leading the line. For the sake of consistency, it’s important to highlight that the French international has yet to score a goal this season, which does nothing to reduce the already substantial creative burden that Hazard carries.
Nonetheless, the 32-year-old has attained four assists in eight league appearances, and mostly, he tends to impact games meaningfully. To his credit, and despite only being at the club for roughly ten months, the Frenchman has a virtually telepathic relationship with Eden Hazard. When Sarri’s expansive style of football is in motion, it’s a pleasurable experience to watch Hazard and Giroud interchange almost effortlessly.
As mentioned previously, a striker’s chief duty is to score, and while Giroud’s lack of goals is a concern, he isn’t aligned with the archetypal striker, and his unforgettable summer with France demonstrated how influential he can be without scoring.
One of the main criticisms that have been levelled at Morata is his apathy and perceived weakness on the pitch. In a notoriously physical division, the former Real Madrid forward goes to ground far too often; it’s almost a natural reaction for the striker to fabricate a foul as opposed to fighting for possession. This isn’t to infer that Morata isn’t fouled, but even when opponents illegitimately retrieve possession from him, he is far too vocal in his protests.
When comparing Morata’s treatment to that of Eden Hazard, who is often cynically kicked and bruised on the pitch yet seldom cries to the officials, it seems that the Spaniard is fighting a defenceless case. Where Morata fails, Giroud thrives. The 32-year-old provides Sarri’s side with an outlet, a point of reference, and an alternative (perhaps more traditional) attacking avenue.
The former Arsenal favourite has sufficient technical quality to play in Sarri’s demanding system, but he also possesses an abundance of physicality and strength that is often deployed to great effect. Chelsea’s newly-appointed manager commented that the Blues were unable to triumph against United in a physical battle during their 2-2 draw on the weekend. Perhaps, the FA Cup holders would have been better suited to utilise the services of Giroud.
Chelsea’s number 18 shields the ball incredibly well and utilises his physicality to dictate aerial battles. Alongside his more orthodox attributes, Giroud’s vision and close-control are surprisingly excellent, and he can often instigate or augment the quality of Chelsea’s attacks by deploying his technical qualities.
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Sarri’s style of football demands fluidity, and the Frenchman’s propensity to play first-time balls is a useful component of Chelsea’s attack. In short, his contributions to transitional and build-up play is far more effective than Morata’s. It’s no surprise that Morata has yet to register an assist this season, where Giroud’s involvement is often critical in creating a goal.
One salient point that is often raised when discussing the striker is that his impact is better felt when playing as a substitute. His heroic intervention at Southampton last season attests his aptness for contributing from the bench, but if Morata is to maintain his current passivity – especially in games of great significance – then Chelsea have no other option than to start Giroud.
Without question the lack of goals from Chelsea’s forwards is far from ideal, but France’s leading striker is best positioned and equipped to further the Blues’ favourable start to the season.
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