
Chelsea have nine attacking options this season, with Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu as the two out-and-out strikers. They also have four wingers to choose from: Mykhaylo Mudryk, Noni Madueke, Pedro Neto, and the incoming Jadon Sancho.
Enzo Maresca likes to play with the number ten, and the West Londoners have three to choose from: PFA Young Player of the Season Cole Palmer, Christopher Nkunku and Joao Felix.
The options are simply endless, a headache that managers love to have. As for the positions and players mentioned, many of them can play anywhere across the front four.
Last season and the start of this one have been examples of that. In the opening game of the season, the front four was Jackson, Nkunku, Enzo, and Palmer.
Nkunku played on the left while Palmer played on the right, giving Maresca a different option than two predominantly out-and-out wingers like Madueke and Mudryk.
-
The Front Four
Striker: Nicolas Jackson
The Senegalese international is clearly Chelsea's number nine this campaign. Jackson has the ability to link-up the play, unlike many strikers in Europe. His little flicks to link-up play are trouble for any defenders, as they are so acute and accurate.
It isn't just his link-up play that is his key asset.
The 23-year-old can score goals. It went massively under the radar that Jackson scored 17 goals and assisted six in all competitions. So, it will certainly be something for the striker to build upon.
To put into comparison, the former Villarreal forward outperformed all of these strikers in their first season:
Alvaro Morata, Fernando Torres, Radamel Falcao, Olivier Giroud, Didier Drogba, Michy Batshuayi, Gonzalo Higuain, Samuel Eto'o, Romelu Lukaku, Loïc Rémy, Demba Ba and Nicolas Anelka.
So, to put things into perspective, Jackson outshone all of these greats of the game in his first season. The number nine can only go one way, and that is up.
Chelsea have put their faith and trust in Jackson, and he is repaying the faith so far. With a goal and an assist last Sunday against Wolves, it seems he is carrying on like he left off.
Left-Wing: Pedro Neto
The Portuguese winger joined the West Londoners this summer on a £54m deal from Wolves.
Neto has been an in-demand player for some time now, so it surprised everyone when he was presented as a Chelsea player.
So why Pedro Neto? Well, the winger has an abundance of pace, an eye for goal, and a knack for creating chances. Compared to his teammate Mudryk, Neto edges him in almost every department, as the Ukrainian still has a lot to learn if he wants to be ahead of the former Wolves man.
A perfect example of why the £54m player has to start is his vision to see a move before it happens. When Neto came on against Wolves last Sunday, in the build-up to the final goal, you could see his desire and hunger to make a goal happen.
Starting his run in behind, before the ball even got to Cole Palmer, it enabled Neto to run onto the ball easily. As Palmer could see the space and the run it opened up the Wolves backline, this is something the winger can offer, with constant running and threat in behind.
Furthermore, the 24-year-old had the end product to find Joao Felix to give him his return debut goal. At pace, running down the left-hand side with two players around him, to pick the pass at pace, as well as weigh it perfectly for Felix to run onto it.
That moment in the game showed all of Neto's true qualities and why he would start more than likely on that left-hand side.
Attacking Midfielder: Cole Palmer
A clear choice for the man to be in-behind the striker.
Chelsea's best player last season by a mile, he dictated the play and created a handful of chances, and he was always the coldest player on the pitch when it came to taking penalties.
For such a young player, he has the creativity of someone in their prime and has never let the occasion of the game get to him. There has not been an impact by one player like Palmer since Eden Hazard, and that's an impressive comparison.
The former Manchester City man had a staggering season, scoring 25 goals and assisting 15.
It is a no-brainer that Palmer will be the first name on the team sheet for the majority of games this season.
Right-Wing: Noni Madueke
After a standout performance in pre-season, Madueke is the clear choice for the right-hand side.
The former Spurs academy graduate had a good end to the season under former boss Mauricio Pochettino.
Madueke scored eight goals and assisted three in his first full season in a Blues shirt, which for someone so young, it shows signs there is still room to develop.
It also took a while for the former PSV Eindhoven player to find a starting place in the team, with more experienced options like Raheem Sterling being chosen ahead of him.
However, under Enzo Maresca, it is clear that Madueke is the type of winger he likes. Scoring his first Premier League hat-trick (before both Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford), the 22-year-old is looking to have his best-ever season in football so far.
So it makes sense that Noni Madueke would fit into this front four.
The options which Chelsea have available are simply frightening and can be adapted for any opponent, which makes this campaign so interesting for Chelsea.

