5. Morgan Rogers

Morgan Rogers was given the nod to lead the line for Chelsea last Saturday after it was confirmed that Pedro would miss the game. Rogers is a brilliant attacking midfielder, but he did not look comfortable at all in the No.9 position against Spurs.

He struggled to hold up the ball and did not really get involved in the game, although Tottenham’s dominance made that hard. Whatever the case, it cannot be a solution going forward.

4. Emmanuel Emegha

Emmanuel Emegha is obviously a more natural option. However, the 23-year-old has not played a single minute of football this season since joining Chelsea from Strasbourg.

Emegha clearly has potential. Supporters at Strasbourg saw that when he was fit. But the jury is still out on him.

3. Pedro Neto

Like Rogers, Pedro Neto would have to go down as another makeshift striker. He did the role a couple of times under Enzo Maresca and was not bad there.

Neto used his pace to stretch the centre-backs and even managed to score in one game, a 4-0 win over Southampton back in the 2024/25 season. He also provided an assist in the same match and did the same during a 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa a few days before.

Ultimately, his pace would give Chelsea a different attacking dimension, particularly against opponents who leave space behind their defensive line.

2. Cole Palmer

Cole Palmer cannot play against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night because of his suspension. But when the England international is back, he should be able to fulfil the No.9 role much better than Rogers did.

His ability to drop between the lines could help Chelsea drag centre-halves out of position, although he would offer less of a traditional physical presence up front.

Mauricio Pochettino used Palmer as one of two split strikers in a 2-2 draw with Arsenal three years ago, and the 24-year-old was quite effective there. He scored that day and took four shots in total, as per Sofascore.

1. Danny Welbeck

A proven Premier League striker who has made more than 400 appearances in the English top flight, there is no doubt that Danny Welbeck is the best option to replace Pedro. Unlike the other candidates, Welbeck offers a natural centre-forward presence, allowing Chelsea to retain a focal point in attack while giving their attacking midfielders someone to play off.

It is a surprise that he was overlooked by Alonso last Saturday. You would now expect Welbeck to get the nod when Chelsea play Liverpool and also against his former club Manchester United this weekend.

Conclusion

The key question for Alonso is whether Chelsea need a like-for-like replacement for Pedro or a striker who changes how they attack. Welbeck offers the natural centre-forward profile to occupy centre-backs, link play and provide a penalty-box presence, while Neto would give Chelsea runs in behind with his electric pace.

Alonso’s decision could, therefore, depend on the opposition rather than simply selecting the most natural striker. Welbeck looks the safest option for maintaining a conventional centre-forward role, while Neto could be more effective against a high defensive line. Palmer offers another alternative when Chelsea need additional creativity between the lines.