Chelsea desperately wanted to search out the precise Neto.
An indication of one other irritating recreation for the membership got here just some minutes earlier than the tip of Sunday’s 0-0 draw at Bournemouth when it was introduced to the house followers that the Brazilian goalkeeper had been named their man of the match.
The 34-year-old actually had his moments in opposition to Mauricio Pochettino’s aspect however it will be mistaken to make out that Neto produced a saves-of-the-season montage. As an alternative, this was one other consummate exhibition of Chelsea’s incapacity to attain a purpose.
Final season, they set a brand new club-record low within the Premier League period of 38 targets from as many matches. They’ve began 2023-24 bang heading in the right direction to match that underwhelming feat: they’ve 5 targets in as many 2023-24 Premier League fixtures, and none of their previous two.
No person can accuse them of not making an attempt — Pochettino’s aspect rank joint-fourth within the division for whole photographs (81). The issue is the accuracy: Chelsea are second-bottom among the many 20 golf equipment in terms of the distinction between their anticipated targets (xG) determine and the precise variety of targets scored, and third-worst for shot conversion proportion.
Sure, Chelsea are lacking gamers – 12 of them, in truth, as Pochettino identified whereas defending his workforce after they have been booed off on the finish by a bit of the travelling help. However on the Vitality Stadium on Sunday, Chelsea contrived to overlook in nearly each conceivable manner and it leaves Pochettino – who has no longer received any of his final 14 away video games as a Premier League supervisor with them and former employers Tottenham – with a serious headache.
We take a better have a look at what occurred to Chelsea within the remaining third in opposition to Bournemouth.
Poor approach
There have been many examples of this, however nothing summed up how clumsy Chelsea gamers look when the opposition purpose looms into view than Nicolas Jackson’s spectacular miss early within the second half.
It was not a golden alternative, however it’s going to nonetheless make a highlights reel of embarrassing moments when the season critiques are being compiled subsequent spring.
Midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu slid a ball via for the Senegal worldwide to run onto within the 53rd minute. The angle was tight, a lot in order that taking a shot from that place all the time appeared bold. It didn’t cease Jackson from having a swing together with his left foot, although.
The ball ended up excessive within the stands, and embarrassingly huge of the goal; as he misplaced his steadiness and fell over whereas his shot whistled into the gang, Jackson regarded like Superman flying within the air earlier than crashing to Earth:
“Bournemouth reject!” sang the house followers, a reference to how solely a failed medical prevented Jackson signing for them from Spanish aspect Villarreal on this 12 months’s January switch window.
Taking too lengthy
If solely Conor Gallagher had made a connection sooner.
Sure, the way of Neto’s save low to his proper performed a component in his choice as man of the match, however what an opportunity the England midfielder had within the thirty fourth minute.
Maybe he was in shock that Mykhailo Mudryk had efficiently discovered him with a superb ball inside the world — Gallagher was actually very vocal towards the Ukrainian early on in regards to the high quality of a cross from the byline.
On this event, Gallagher hesitated a fraction, let the ball run throughout him and uncorked a shot that was not positioned far sufficient within the nook. It gave Neto the benefit, and he made probably the most of it:
Gallagher’s shot is saved (Ben Stansall/AFP through Getty Photographs)
Sloppiness and taking the mistaken possibility
As Chelsea started to expire of concepts within the latter levels of the match, the insecurity turned extra evident.
Within the 69th minute, Gallagher was carrying the ball with intent in the direction of Bournemouth’s penalty space. There was a easy cross to be made inside to Jackson, however he performed it behind the ahead, so the tempo went out of the assault. To make issues worse, Jackson then misplaced possession far too simply when making an attempt a really lazy cross.
A bit later, Cole Palmer offered proof that it has not taken lengthy for Chelsea’s taking pictures struggles to afflict him following his deadline-day transfer from Manchester Metropolis simply over two weeks in the past.
Cole Palmer additionally struggled in entrance of purpose (Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC through Getty Photographs)
Pochettino despatched on Palmer, purchased for a mere £40million (plus a possible £2.5m in add-ons), three minutes previous the hour. Not lengthy after, he opted to not shoot when a promising place opened up, whereas two makes an attempt he did get off – one via a defender’s legs and a first-time volley from Raheem Sterling’s cross – have been blocked and saved respectively.
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Failing to anticipate
A high workforce all the time finds a method to get the ball over the road in some unspecified time in the future, even when they aren’t at their finest.
Typically it takes getting the higher of a goalmouth scramble. Within the sixty fifth minute, neither Jackson nor Levi Colwill might get the important contact once they have been just some yards out, permitting Neto to make one more save:
Chelsea fail to pressure the ball in from shut vary (Ben Stansall/AFP through Getty Photographs)
It wasn’t a obtrusive blunder, nevertheless it underlined that Chelsea nonetheless wrestle to anticipate the place balls are prone to drop in goalmouth melees.
Having a participant with sharper scoring instincts could properly have made the distinction.
The unfortunate miss
Chelsea haven’t had a lot success on their aspect not too long ago, and this recreation might have been so totally different if they’d not hit the woodwork twice.
First, there was a Jackson shot from exterior the world within the thirteenth minute — the timing appears becoming contemplating their unhealthy luck — which hit the skin of a publish and went huge. The hassle was not cleanly hit however Neto was helpless because the ball bobbled previous him.
Much more agonising was Sterling’s free kick 5 minutes into the second half, which appeared to strike the crossbar and the publish earlier than bouncing down onto the road — it was solely millimetres from all the ball being over the whitewash:
The ball did rebound to Colwill to ‘rating’, however the England defender (No 26) was rightly denied a primary Chelsea purpose as a result of he was offside when Sterling hit the preliminary shot:
Chelsea followers are actually making their emotions recognized.
Chants of “Assault, assault, assault!” have been heard within the first half yesterday, after which boos have been audible after the ultimate whistle.
There isn’t a disaster but, however the crowd’s impatience to see their workforce rating, not to mention win, will certainly come to the fore when Aston Villa come to Stamford Bridge subsequent Sunday.
(Prime photograph: Ryan Pierse/Getty Photographs)
