A football team with no striker is a bit like a golfer with no putter: everything else is fairly redundant unless you put the ball in the hole.
Chelsea have found that out the hard way in recent weeks. During their 2-0 defeat at Arsenal on Saturday, they enjoyed 65% of possession but had just one shot on target.
They urgently need a striker. The false-nine system is a horrible waste of Eden Hazard’s various talents, and their season is in danger of collapse.
Veteran goalscorer Gonzalo Higuain is rumoured to be their short-term solution, with reports claiming a deal has been struck to bring him to Stamford Bridge on loan until the end of the season.
The Juventus striker, 31, is currently on loan at AC Milan and, after he was left out of their squad to face Genoa on Sunday, the move appears to be only a matter of time.
He enjoyed the most successful season of his career under Maurizio Sarri at Napoli, equalling the Serie A goalscoring record with 36 goals in the 2015/16 season.
If Chelsea can get him registered by midday on Wednesday, he will be eligible to face Tottenham in the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues currently trail 1-0, but Tottenham look set to be without a host of star players, including Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Heung-min Son.
Higuain’s arrival would undoubtedly provide another huge boost for Chelsea’s chances of progression, especially given his exceptional record against Spurs.
The Argentine is unbeaten in three games against Tottenham, having won twice and drawn once, with three goals and an assist to his name.
Most recently, he helped Juventus eliminate Spurs in last season’s Champions League round of 16 – with three goals over the two legs.
During the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final, Chelsea dominated possession and played well but failed to create any real chances of note and subsequently lost.
However, a top-class striker is the only missing piece – the rest are all there.
With the club in danger of dropping out of the top four and the Carabao Cup, their season could hinge on whether Higuain registers in time to face Spurs on Thursday night.
