Joao Pedro thriving as Chelsea's No 9
#Joao Pedro #Chelsea striker #Liam Rosenior #Premier League goals #Arsenal vs Chelsea #Chelsea FC #Striker evolution #Expected goals
📌 Key Takeaways
- Joao Pedro has scored 7 goals in his last 9 appearances for Chelsea
- His performance has improved significantly under Liam Rosenior
- He has evolved from a No 10/No 9 hybrid to an exclusive striker role
- His shot quality has nearly doubled since moving to Chelsea
- He is challenging to become one of the Premier League's top strikers
📖 Full Retelling
Joao Pedro has emerged as Chelsea's premier striker, impressing under head coach Liam Rosenior with seven goals in his last nine appearances, as the Blues prepare to face Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, March 1, 2026, with the Brazilian forward's evolution coinciding with the recent managerial change that has transformed his role and effectiveness. The 24-year-old has caused significant problems for Arsenal's defense this season, particularly in the Carabao Cup where he demonstrated impressive strength to hold off William Saliba and Gabriel, linking play effectively and winning twice as many fouls as any other player during that match. Since Rosenior's appointment, Joao Pedro has been used almost exclusively in the No 9 position, despite the availability of Liam Delap, with the coach challenging him to raise his intensity both in pressing and attacking movement. This specialized role has allowed him to increase his shot volume dramatically while improving his shot quality, with his expected goals per shot rising from 0.12 at Brighton to 0.21 at Chelsea, excluding penalties. The Brazilian striker's recent form has seen him surpass the goal tallies of recent Chelsea forwards like Nicolas Jackson and Tammy Abraham, with the club now hoping he can reach the 20-goal milestone achieved by Diego Costa in previous seasons, a feat that would mark a significant resurgence for Chelsea's attacking prowess.
🏷️ Themes
Player Development, Tactical Evolution, Striker Performance, Managerial Impact
📚 Related People & Topics
Liam Rosenior
English football manager (born 1984)
Liam James Rosenior (born 9 July 1984) is an English professional football manager and former player who is the head coach of Premier League club Chelsea. As a player, he usually played as a right-back, although he occasionally was moved to left-back and sometimes deployed as a right-winger. During ...
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Premier League
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Original Source
Analysis Joao Pedro impressing under Liam Rosenior and evolving into the striker Chelsea need - The Radar Joao Pedro's impressive displays for Chelsea are the focus of The Radar column as Harry Maguire shows his enduring value to Man Utd; watch Arsenal vs Chelsea live on Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event from 4pm on Sunday; kick-off 4.30pm Nick Wright Football Features Writer @nicholaspwright Thursday 26 February 2026 13:43, UK Welcome to The Radar , a Sky Sports column in which Nick Wright uses a blend of data and opinion to shed light on need-to-know stories from up and down the Premier League. This week: 9️⃣ Joao Pedro excelling as Chelsea's striker 🧱 Maguire crucial for Carrick at Man Utd 🔍 Two players to watch this weekend Joao Pedro's evolution Few forwards have caused more problems for William Saliba and Gabriel this season than Joao Pedro on his last visit to the Emirates Stadium. The Carabao Cup tie ended in defeat for Chelsea but Joao Pedro returns on Sunday aiming for a repeat performance. Got Sky? Watch Premier League games LIVE on your phone 📱 No Sky ? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW 📺 Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Liam Rosenior gave a candid press conference after Chelsea's 1-1 draw with Burnley The 24-year-old spent that evening dragging the Arsenal centre-backs out of position and showing impressive strength to hold them off with his back to goal. He linked the play, ran the channels, won twice as many fouls as anyone else and gave Chelsea an outlet. All that was missing was a goal but those have hardly been in short supply lately. Joao Pedro has seven in his last nine appearances for Chelsea. Arsenal's Viktor Gyokeres is the only Premier League player to have scored more since the turn of the year. The increase in his scoring output, from eight goals in 30 appearances earlier this season to seven in his last nine, coincides with the appointment of Liam Rosenior, who said last week that Joao ...
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