How Chelsea can fix their 'baked potato' forward line in January - including the breakout star they are tracking closely to fight for Nicolas Jackson's place
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Trevoh Chalobah’s recall from his season-long loan at Crystal Palace was being ummed and ahhed until finally, Chelsea’s fifth Premier League game without a win forced Enzo Maresca to elbow the ‘Break Glass in Case of Emergency’ in his office at Cobham.
![[The Blues have scored just four goals from their last 85 attempts on goal]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/15/18/94134325-14288909-image-a-28_1736967196871.jpg)
We will get to Maresca’s next priority – fixing the frontline after four goals scored from 85 shots taken during this month-long winless run – but Wednesday saw Chelsea take a significant step in addressing their problems at the back. Josh Acheampong is a gifted defender, only 18 years old and one of their own from the Cobham conveyor belt, but the academy youngster was exposed by Antoine Semenyo during Tuesday's 2-2 draw with Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge.
![[Trevoh Chalobah has been recalled from his loan spell at Crystal Palace, and now Chelsea are set to focus on strengthening their attack]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/15/18/94134335-14288909-image-m-30_1736967281707.jpg)
Semenyo scored when he skipped to the side of Acheampong, asked to fill in alongside Levi Colwill amid the injuries to Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashile. Chelsea had to rely on Reece James burying a stoppage-time free-kick to avoid losing to a Bournemouth team so depleted that they themselves had to recall two loanees from Carlisle - who are bottom of the Football League - to fill their bench.
![[Chelsea are pleased with Nicolas Jackson's progress, but want someone to challenge him for his place]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/15/18/94134135-14288909-image-a-31_1736967319442.jpg)
Chalobah's return threw Palace a curveball ahead of their trip to Leicester, a game which he would otherwise have started. While Maresca will face ridicule for such an abrupt U-turn – after a summer in which Chalobah was told he could not train with Chelsea's first team at Cobham as he was surplus to requirements – we could also praise the 44-year-old Italian for swallowing his pride. It is the sensible move, and as suitable a short-term solution they could have hoped for, given his Premier League readiness.
![[Chelsea are keeping a close eye on Liam Delap who has had a breakout season at Ipswich]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/15/18/94132751-14288909-image-m-25_1736964646092.jpg)
