Air Zouma: Chelsea’s central goal scorer is a forgotten hero of his season

Chelsea have added a host of offensive talent this season, rightly praised in their 16-game unbeaten streak, but it was Kurt Zouma who provided the big moment with his header against Leeds United.

Marcelo Bielsa will have gone through all the details in preparation for this game, but there was nothing his analysts could do about Zouma’s physique in the 3-1 loss. The Argentine admitted that set pieces made the difference after the game.

“We couldn’t neutralize them in this regard and in the end it was a big factor in the result,” Bielsa said at Stamford Bridge.

That aerial presence has been a small detail that has made a big impact for Chelsea this season, with the 26-year-old seemingly winning everything in both boxes.

It has led to him being called up by France, and has turned Frank Lampard’s previously weak defense into one capable of fighting for the titles.

Zouma has won 74.5% of his games this season in the league, placing him among the top 20 players in Europe. That dominance marks him as the perfect companion for Thiago Silva.

Additionally, Zouma is demonstrating the goal scoring ability that both John Terry and Gary Cahill have provided in recent title-winning seasons.

Zouma scored his fourth goal of the season against Leeds, meaning he has twice as many goals as the next highest-scoring defender in the Premier League. In the top five European leagues, only RB Leipzig winger Angelino has scored as many as Zouma in all competitions.

The 3-1 win propelled Chelsea to the top of the table, as Lampard’s project, which has linked £ 220 million ($ 275 million) of new signings with academy players, continues to flourish.

Zouma is neither homegrown nor new, but its improvement has been spectacular. He has come out of a difficult period, having been a starting Chelsea player with José Mourinho when he was 21 in 2016.

When he was a younger player, Zouma was considered a wonderful kid, but a torn cruciate ligament shocked the defender both mentally and physically.

The Frenchman needed a string of loan assignments to return to his usual first-team status at Chelsea, and was relegated to Stoke City before producing a strong season at Everton.

Lampard brought Zouma back last season, perhaps in part because the transfer ban prevented the club from hiring new players, and he struggled to establish himself again.

None of Chelsea’s central defenders covered themselves in glory last season, but Zouma ultimately outlasted his rivals, as well as a career-defining injury.

His ability to score, clear his own lines and effectively partner with Silva have made Zouma a huge part of his team even though he is not an accomplished passer from behind. Those flaws are worth bearing for your strengths, which currently allow you to finally realize your potential.