Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri has said that he will not consider a formational switch at this time, despite the team’s scoring slump. Doing the same thing and expecting different results is the very definition of insanity so how does Sarri expect to get Chelsea’s grrove back this season? Maybe a reunion with his former Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain will get things going again? Higuain’s arrival is reportedly imminent, with potential for a formal announcement coming as early as Sunday or Monday.
According to The Daily Mirror, the Juventus forward will complete his Chelsea medical within the next 48 hours before an official unveiling to the public is made. Reportedly, Juve eventually caved into Stamford Bridge’s demands that the deal be a loan with an option to buy instead of a straight up purchase.
In the summer, Higuain chose to go on loan with AC Milan instead of Chelsea and afterward he explained why publicly.
Now that he’s finally joining the Blues, when could he make his Chelsea debut? Most likely it will come Thursday night at home against Tottenham Hotspur in the League Cup semi-final second leg.
The 31-year-old Higuain scored six league goals for Milan during the first half of this season, before returning to Juve in order to sign with the Blues. Higuain scored a total of 36 goals under Sarri’s management while the two were together at Napoli.
His arrival is very timely for Chelsea, as the Blues boss seems to have little faith in Alvaro Morata or Olivier Giroud as primary striker options.
Chelsea at Arsenal FYIs
Kickoff: Saturday, January 19, 5:30 PM local, Emirates
Google Result Probability: Chelsea win 39%, Draw 28%, Arsenal win 33%
Starting XI Predictions: Chelsea Arsenal
Injury Report for both sides: go to this link
Odds via Bet Fair: Chelsea win 11/8, Draw 27/10, Arsenal win 19/10
Prediction: Chelsea 2, Arsenal 2
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, regularly appears as a guest pundit on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
He also contributes sociopolitical essays to Chicago Now. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. The content of his cat’s Instagram account is unquestionably superior to his.