Summary Chelsea's season continues to decline as they suffered a 2-0 defeat to Everton, putting them in 12th place. Armando Broja was a disappointment in the match, with only one off-target shot and several turnovers. Nicolas Jackson should replace Broja in the next game, as he has been more consistent and has better offensive stats.
Chelsea’s season took another step backwards as they suffered a dismal 2-0 defeat to a resurgent Everton side who are looking to move away from the Premier League relegation places following their recent ten-point deduction.
The Blues now currently occupy 12th spot in the league table having won just five matches all season and the pressure will surely be on Mauricio Pochettino heading into the hectic festive season.
The Argentinian was let down by a whole host of players during the clash as the Stamford Bridge outfit failed to get a foothold in the game.
One of the worst offenders was striker Armando Broja, who looked an isolated figure during the defeat.
Armando Broja’s game against Everton in numbers
The youngster got the nod ahead of Nicolas Jackson to lead the line for the Blues on Sunday, yet he didn’t exactly enjoy the most fruitful of matches, it must be said.
He managed just one shot during the tie – which was off target – while he lost possession seven times and won just one duel from six attempts, failing to demonstrate his true attacking talents.
Broja managed to make just five passes all match against the Toffees along with taking only 16 touches, and this certainly backs up the notion that he was severely isolated in the Chelsea attack, being overwhelmed by James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite.
The striker was given a rating of 6/10 for his performance by the Evening Standard and ahead of the tie against Sheffield United on Saturday, Pochettino should replace him for someone else.
The Chelsea star to replace Armando Broja
In Broja’s defence, he had started just twice in the Premier League before the Everton clash, scoring once, yet with the game against the Blades looking like a must-win, Jackson should be the one unleashed from the start.
The summer signing hasn’t been quite as consistent as many would have hoped, yet he has found the back of the net on seven occasions, including a hat-trick against Tottenham Hotspur last month.
Across the whole Chelsea squad, Jackson currently ranks first for goals and assists (seven) in the top flight, along with ranking first for shots on target per game (1.1) and second for successful dribbles per game (1.5) which suggests he deserves a chance to play on Saturday.
In comparison, Broja fails to rank in the top ten across the squad for goals and assists (one), shots on target per game (0.1) while ranking tenth for successful dribbles per game (0.6).
Chelsea man with fewer touches than Sanchez let Pochettino down
Pochettino will likely replace forward next time out after his performance.
ByTom LeverDec 10, 2023
With more gametime in the future, Broja will get back to his best, yet with a hectic run of fixtures to come for the Blues, Pochettino must manage his squad well, especially if he looks to get them back into the top half of the table.
An EFL Cup quarter-final tie against Newcastle United awaits in the coming weeks too, and if things go to plan, Pochettino could find his side in the mix for a first trophy since 2021.
They will need to improve massively from the clash against Everton, however, and this means benching Broja.