Joao Pedro
Joao Pedro Junqueira de Jesus
Date of Birth: 26 September 2001
Current Club: Chelsea.
Previous Clubs: Brighton & Hove Albion, Watford, Fluminese.
Loan Clubs: N/A.
International: Brazil 5 appearances.
Trophies Won: FIFA Club World Cup 2025.
Joao Pedro is a player that looks a bit gangly, as he is tall and lean, but like many others 'he has good feet for a big man', though that saying seems a bit contradictory when so many big men have such good feet! He has good pace and skill plus he is a very composed finisher, in particular when it comes to penalties, but he has a tendency to drop too deep. While I like a player who is capable of dropping off and picking the ball up and driving forward, which he can do, if he does not receive the ball when he drops, he can often be slow to get forward.
That can lead to him not being in position to attack the ball when it comes in to the box, when there was plenty of time for him to get up with the attack. I actually think that is a big part of why he looks so much better when he first joins a new team, as he does not do that at first, it is something which comes along later. So far I have seen him in early appearances at Brighton, Watford and now Chelsea, and it does seem a pattern that Pedro starts off great but then his performances drop off.
The fact that part of it does seem attitude based, he does seem like he is a little put out by not getting the ball when he drops off and there is a bit of a minor sulk. Very minor, just a small one, just enough to cause him to stroll forward, rather than looking to chase into the box for a chance. That could be seen as a positive, I suppose, in that he just wants to get on the ball and make things happen, and it might be something that came from feeling he was a better option than the one taken, but it is something you would expect him to grow out of.
Playing with better players at Chelsea is also likely to remove the issue, as he will not be feeling like he is clearly better than the players around him. Because on his day Pedro was the best player at Watford and BHA, with pace, power, skill, defensive work rate, height and excellent technique. The problem is that he is inconsistent, which meant he was not always first choice, but that is something that experience should put paid to.
I also have worries over his goalscoring numbers, 10 goals and 7 assists in a season is not a lot for a striker of his ability and Pedro should be doing better. It is a massive step up from his Watford record, where he scored just 24 goals and 8 assists in his time there, playing 109 games to do so, but playing in a team that should be looking to challenge for the title after spending so much money, he will need to score more. He certainly has the ability to do so, it feels like he has failed to make the most of his ability up until now.
This move to Chelsea could see him stepping up and making the most of his ability, he is still only 23 (for a few days at least) and still learning and improving. Or he could end up being one of those players that moves from club to club, making an instant impact only to fade away, only time will tell. So far, though it is very early days, Pedro looks like he is ready to make the step up and to become a regular international as well.
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