Chelsea's woes continued as they suffered a 3-0 defeat to Brighton, leaving manager Enzo Maresca searching for answers amid a striking crisis. The match highlighted Chelsea's alarming situation, where they ended up without any fit strikers available. Despite spending over £1.5 billion since the takeover by Clearlake Capital and Todd Boehly, the team has found itself in a dire situation, particularly in the forward department.

The club has invested significantly in attacking talent, including spending £445 million on various forwards. Yet, apart from Nicolas Jackson—who is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury—the other forwards have failed to deliver. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, once a key signing, quickly fell out of favor and has since found success elsewhere. The other young forwards signed, including David Datro Fofana and Marc Guiu, have yet to make a significant impact in the Premier League.

In the match against Brighton, Chelsea's tactical adjustments were disrupted by injuries. With Jackson and Guiu unavailable, and Mykhailo Mudryk suspended, Chelsea was left with only Cole Palmer, Pedro Neto, and Jadon Sancho as fit attacking options. Maresca attempted to adapt his game plan but was ultimately frustrated by his team's inability to create scoring chances, managing no shots on target throughout the match. As they reevaluate their strategy moving forward, it remains critical for Chelsea to resolve their striker dilemma if they hope to turn their season around.