Pedro Neto thriving in new striker position with Chelsea [video] | OneFootball

Chelsea 4-0 Southampton

Few would have predicted Pedro Neto to state a case for Chelsea’s striker position this season, but a recent makeshift role for the Portuguese is yielding positive results with the Blues.

Neto scored and provided an assist on Tuesday evening as Chelsea crushed Southampton, on what was his second outing as the spearhead of Enzo Maresca’s attack. Having registered an assist against Aston Villa at the weekend, Neto has one goal and two assists in his new role.

The former Braga man is as traditional a winger as you could expect to find in the modern game, but the decision to move Neto centrally was provoked by the absence of Senegal international Nicolas Jackson and struggles of others to convince Maresca of their suitability.

Neto scored Chelsea’s second, finishing with a crisp left-footed strike having been found by Christopher Nkunku. The Seleção man then turned provider, sending a free-kick into the box which was nodded home by Levi Colwill, making it the first time Neto has scored and assisted in the same game since arriving in the Premier League.

“I don't have to run as much”

Neto was praised by pundits after the match, not just for his goal but the quality of his movement, especially considering his inexperience in the position. “To be honest [I’m enjoying it] a lot because I don’t have to run as much!” he joked in his post-match interview. “Without running back I have more energy to run forward.

“I have a free role there, I like to receive it to feet, like to go in behind, so I’m really enjoying playing there. I want to help the team, that is the most important thing.

“When I arrived here [in England] at Wolves, I knew that teams would normally play a high block against us. When I arrived here [at Chelsea] we more faced the low block. In the beginning of this season, teams saw that it was really difficult to press high against us and I was adding to my game playing in small spaces, dribbles in small spaces, these combinations we have.

“That’s really important when teams are in a low block. It was a thing I wanted to bring here. Before I used to say that I run a lot in really big spaces and I still have that. But in small spaces, the contact with the ball in the box, to be more calm to put the ball in the net. It’s something I want to add and I will keep improving in that.

“In Italy when I was 17 years old, we used to play two strikers and I was playing behind the striker. I always learned that against big guys whether to have the contact first or use movement. I like to play with the contact first, take a step and try to turn. And sometimes I like to give the pass and run in behind. I really enjoy it, so it’s a thing I like and I want to improve it.”