Joao Pedro Wants New Nickname For Chelsea's Hot-Scoring Front Three

Chelsea striker Joao Pedro says fans need to come up with a better nickname for the club's dangerous front three, as he opened up about how well he's clicking with Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers this season.

Fans have already given the trio two nicknames, "JP Morgan" and "CPR," after their strong start to the campaign. Joao Pedro has three goals and three assists so far, Palmer has four goals and two assists, and Rogers, since arriving from Aston Villa, has chipped in with three goals and four assists.

Speaking to the Men In Blazers Media Network, Joao Pedro explained how the three of them work so well together on the pitch. "Morgan is a very skilful player, he can dribble past two or three guys and carry the ball, that is what we expect from him and he started very well," he said.

He also broke down how he tries to set up his teammates differently depending on the situation. "For Cole I always try to give the ball to his feet and Morgan more to the space to let him get into one-v-one situations, and my job is just to run and then they're going to find me. I run and I have to score."

Joao Pedro said he feels pressure to stay sharp and be in the right spots for Palmer. "I have to be ready when Cole gets the ball and be in the right position to make the run and score because if not then later he will say 'Hey, Joao, you need to give me assists.'"

He had nothing but praise for Palmer's all-around ability. "He can score, pass, score free-kicks, he can do everything. That is what makes him special. He is a special player." He also pushed back a bit on Palmer's public image, saying he's a lot more relaxed behind the scenes. "I think you guys think he is a closed guy but with us he is mad, he jokes. Me and Morgan are very close to him, he is a funny guy."

As for those nicknames, Joao Pedro made it clear neither one is a hit within the group. "We need to find a very good nickname," he said. "I don't like CPR, and he [Palmer] doesn't like JP Morgan, so we need to find something between to make everyone happy."

Chelsea have picked up seven points from their first four Premier League games under new head coach Xabi Alonso and have also made it through to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup. They face Brentford away on Friday in the west London derby.

Joao Pedro credited Alonso for helping the front three settle into their scoring form so quickly. "Everyone wants to score and Xabi tells us it doesn't matter what happens you need to be focused and connected to the game and you will score, that is why we've scored many goals this season as the front three," he said. "If we create a lot, we are going to score a lot."

He also praised the manager's approach with the squad, noting that Alonso's own playing background helps him relate to the players. 

"He is very open with us, he used to play so understands our mind. He is very passionate and wants to win every game possible."

While Chelsea have been prolific going forward, scoring 18 goals in six matches this season, they've also leaked 12 at the other end. Joao Pedro, who was recently compared to Karim Benzema by Alonso, says getting Moises Caicedo back fit will help shore things up defensively. 

"He's the best in his position in the world. He's a machine, he's very important for us and soon he'll be back," he said.