Chelsea The season started strong under the leadership of the new coach. Enzo Marescawhich returned them to the top four in the Premier League Along with flawless European Union Conference League campaign so far with six wins from six in groups.
The blues are With an average possession of 58.3% per game (second highest in the division), He took 15.8 shots per game (4th highest) and scored 39 goals in 20 matches (joint third best).
While the goals were flowing early in the season, Maresca's side fell back a bit in that department over the festive period, relying too heavily on Cole Palmer and Nicholas Jackson for their goals, resulting in them drying up when stifled.
This, coupled with their struggles to break down the block, could prompt Chelsea's managers to make a move in the January transfer window, looking to bring another natural striker into the club to provide competition and support for Jackson.
Chelsea looks at the 'new jewkers'
according to Reports from journalist Graeme BaileyChelsea is among the teams planning to sign Sporting striker Konrad Harder. Arsenal are also said to be interested in the Danish striker, who is said to cost around £42m.
The 19-year-old was nicknamed “New Geokers” by analysts Rising Stars on X (formerly Twitter), while Another analyst at Ben Mattinson He also compared the players in terms of build, running power, physical fitness and shooting abilities.
Harder He participated in 22 matches with the Portuguese team this seasonHe scored seven goals and provided three assists.
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How difficult it is to compare him to Nicholas Jackson
Jackson has He has made 20 appearances for the Blues so far in 2024/25He scored nine goals, provided three assists and totaled 1,485 minutes of playing time, becoming an important figure for the Marisca team. His quality both on and off the ball is important to the system, as he plays many roles.
So, how does he compare to a sportsman? Well, he sure looks like a more well-rounded striker.
Comparison between Conrad Harder and Nicholas Jackson |
||
---|---|---|
Statistics (per 90 minutes) |
Harder |
Jackson |
Objectives |
0.45 |
0.56 |
Helps |
0.45 |
0.19 |
xG |
0.17 |
0.60 |
xAG |
0.17 |
0.12 |
Holds progressivism |
2.39 |
2.19 |
Progressive passes |
1.96 |
1.31 |
Total shots |
4.68 |
3.13 |
Key passes |
1.52 |
1.06 |
Snapshot creation procedures |
2.39 |
2.94 |
He won aerial duels |
2.17 |
0.56 |
Statistics taken from FBref |
Both Harder and Jackson provide good levels of production and help their team progress in the game. One of the common strengths between the players is their ability to carry the ball for their team, manage the channels, and therefore have the ability to make something out of nothing, especially in transitional stages.
One area where Hard excels compared to Jackson is winning aerial duels, where he wins 2.17 per 90 compared to just 0.56. Although just over 6ft tall like Jackson, who is 6ft1, the Blues target appears to provide more threat and finesse in the air than the Senegal international, using his compact body type to initiate contact and win duels against defenders.
Harder is similar to Jackson in that he can provide a complete toolkit, dropping deep to link up play, getting forward and helping his team build up, but also attacking the penalty area and providing output for the team.
Maresca would likely welcome this type of player, bringing in another attacking option to challenge and perhaps even Jackson, while also offering some additional aerial threat.