Is the Joao Pedro phenomenon being deciphered?

After a spectacular start, Chelsea striker Joao Pedro has been consistently goalless in recent matches.

Pedro's form has declined.

The Brazilian striker is in an alarming situation, having failed to register a single shot in his last five matches across all competitions. This decline is causing even more concern among fans, as not long ago, Pedro was considered a major hope for the Blues' attack.

Pedro had an impressive start to the season, playing a key role in Chelsea's journey to winning the FIFA Club World Cup 2025. However, that explosive period has passed. The last time the Brazilian striker scored for Chelsea was on August 30th, in a Premier League match against Fulham.

The worrying thing isn't just Pedro's goal drought, but also the statistics behind it. The heat map shows that Pedro tends to drop deep like a "number 10" rather than constantly being in the opponent's penalty area.

Cole Palmer's absence left Chelsea without a creative link, forcing Pedro to play deeper, thus reducing the pressure he could put on the opposing defense.

Pedro needs to improve his form. Photo: Reuters .

Since the match against Fulham, Pedro has only managed two shots in six games, and neither has been on target. Playing as a central striker in manager Enzo Maresca's system, this performance has been deemed "disastrous." He has only generated 0.1 expected goals (xG) and 0.4 expected assists (xGA) during this period.

What truly worries Chelsea fans is that even when playing as a "number 10," Pedro hasn't made much of an impact. With another striker, Liam Delap, injured, Pedro's decline is putting even more pressure on manager Maresca.

'The Madman' Diego Costa recreated his 'madman' persona when he participated in the friendly match between Chelsea and Liverpool legends at Stamford Bridge on the night of October 11th.

Source: https://znews.vn/hien-tuong-joao-pedro-bi-giai-ma-post1594826.html