No sooner had Chelsea been crowned Champions of England, the season long tension that had been developing between Diego Costa and Antonio Conte reached its zenith and a simple text message snapped the chord once and for all. And then began the great search for a striker. Lukaku looked certain to be making a return, but for a variety of reasons, chiefly interest from Manchester United, the move failed to materialize. Then the eyes turned towards Spain and Madrid. Chelsea had learned their lesson and this time, without much ado, Alvaro Morata was signed.
Morata’s defensive responsibilities?
Costa made 93 recoveries of loose balls which was second only to Solomon Rondon among the premier league forwards who had played more than 900 minutes. In a fast paced league such as the premier league, recovering the loose balls is always critical and Costa has done complete justice to it and Morata should at least replicate it if not better it. Moreover, Costa made 42 clearances out of which 36 were from inside Chelsea’s 18-yard box. This is the most clearances made by any forward in the top 10 teams. Costa was as effective in his own box as he was in the opposition box. Morata’s aerial capabilities should help Chelsea handle set-pieces better. They conceded the most goals from set-pieces last season and such numbers from Champions does not look for good viewing.
Morata’s role in front of the goal?
Apart from scoring 20 goals, Costa assisted 7 of Chelsea’s goals which is the most number of assists (along with Harry Kane) made by any of the premier league forward during the 2016/17 season. Morata did find the net 15 times out of his 14 appearances for Real Madrid in the La Liga and made 4 assists too. But replicating those numbers in the Premier League is no easy task. That is the least expected from the young Spanish forward. No pressures, Alvaro. Costa made 263 touches inside the penalty area which is the most by any forward in the premier league in the 2016/17 season. Costa also made the most successful passes in the final third (399) and played the most number of through balls amongst the Premier League forwards during the 2016/17 season. All the above numbers show that Costa was more than a target man. Chelsea was characterised by the dynamic nature of their front 3 and Morata would do well in keeping with the traditions.
What does Morata mean to Draft Fantasy Managers?
Costa was owned by 87% of Draft Fantasy Managers and was the 3rd most owned Chelsea player after Courtois and Hazard, who enjoyed 95% and 98% of ownership respectively. Costa was the 2nd Chelsea player to be drafted (28th round) after Hazard. Morata should lead the line for Chelsea but expect a more matured Batshuayi to have more involvement than last time. Since it is a straight swap, Morata should take over from Costa as far the above numbers are concerned, at least at the beginning of the draft. His performances will dictate whether draft managers hold on to him or trade him for a better forward.
The Chelsea faithful have been searching for an ideal replacement for one legendary Drogba. And Costa was the closest they could get to their beloved icon. But the longevity and connect was just not to be. In his place, they have the opportunity to polish and shape two rough diamonds. The process is time consuming and the fans may have to play the waiting game. The end product probably warrants the long journey.
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