Pedro is Chelsea's new Diego Costa

It took Chelsea nine years to find a goal-scoring striker as effective as Diego Costa was in the 2016-17 season. That player is Joao Pedro, who is becoming a lethal force under Liam Rosenior.

After Costa left Stamford Bridge at the end of 2017, Chelsea became a barren ground for number 9s. Alvaro Morata, Timo Werner, Romelu Lukaku, Olivier Giroud, Tammy Abraham, and Nicolas Jackson were strikers who arrived with high hopes but departed in disappointment.

Excelling under Rosenior's guidance

The presence of Joao Pedro, a £55 million signing from Brighton last summer, has led many to wonder if the Brazilian forward is the solution to Chelsea's long-standing striker problem. He made a strong impression immediately at the FIFA Club World Cup, scoring 3 goals in 3 starts, helping Chelsea claim the title in the United States. This 24-year-old forward continued to perform well early this season with 2 goals and 3 assists in the first 4 Premier League matches. The prospect of Pedro following in the footsteps of Drogba or Costa is clearly visible.

Unfortunately, September and October last year saw Pedro lose form due to fitness-related issues. This was evident as the Brazilian forward went through a goal drought in several matches. Maresca once complained that Pedro had to grit his teeth and play through pain during that period. The consequence was Chelsea's inconsistent performance. But everything changed when Rosenior replaced Maresca as Chelsea's manager early this year. The hat-trick against Aston Villa was Pedro's 10th goal in 9 Premier League matches under the 41-year-old coach's reign. He also added a brace in the victory over Napoli, helping Chelsea advance directly to the Champions League quarter-finals. That is exactly what Chelsea fans expected from Pedro. By scoring more goals, Pedro increasingly proves to everyone that the £55 million fee Chelsea paid to recruit him from Brighton was a bargain.

The number 9 Chelsea has been waiting for after many years

So what caused Pedro to excel so strongly within just the first two months of this year? Rosenior established a clear position for him in Chelsea's lineup. While at Brighton and during the early months of this season under Maresca, Pedro alternated between the number 10 role and the striker position. But Rosenior did not need much time to determine that Pedro was best suited to play as the highest attacker in Chelsea's forward line, even though the blue-shirted team still has Liam Delap, Rosenior's former pupil at Hull City. This allowed Pedro to narrow his range of movement and focus on finishing. In return, Rosenior demanded that the former Brighton forward increase his pressing intensity and ensure intelligent positioning to receive passes from teammates.

Seeing Pedro score in 6 of the last 8 Premier League matches, Rosenior has reason to be satisfied. The 41-year-old coach expressed his thoughts on the Brazilian forward: "Pedro is a top-class striker, brimming with confidence. His ability to act as a wall and his abundant energy benefit the team. I am very pleased with the two goals he scored through simple finishes. He chose the right position and the right moment to score, and we worked hard to achieve that outcome."

Pedro shining as a striker is Chelsea's response in a Premier League season filled with top forwards. New signing Viktor Gyokeres is gradually proving himself at Arsenal with 10 goals. Benjamin Sesko is flourishing at Manchester United under Michael Carrick's leadership. Pedro's 14 Premier League goals put him equal to Nicolas Jackson's tally from the 2023-24 season and just one goal short of Tammy Abraham's 2019-20 scoring record. Although Pedro's goals cannot match what Costa achieved in Chelsea's last Premier League title-winning season, the former Brighton forward could certainly play the savior role for Rosenior's team's quest for a Champions League ticket next season.