Enzo Maresca expressed his frustration over Chelsea’s lack of sharpness in front of goal as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday.
The result saw Chelsea miss the opportunity to temporarily move to the top of the league table, marking the first time they failed to score in the Premier League since the season’s opening day.
Despite dominating much of the game, the Blues remain in second place, but their lead over Arsenal has now been trimmed to just two points.
Maresca rues lack of cutting edge in attack
Chelsea have been one of the most prolific teams in the league this season, ranking as the second-highest scorers.
However, they found it difficult to break down a resolute Everton side that defended diligently throughout the match.
While Maresca admitted he was more satisfied with the team’s performance compared to their win against Brentford, he acknowledged the attacking shortcomings on display.
Nicolas Jackson had two golden opportunities to find the back of the net, but he failed to capitalize, while Cole Palmer struggled to make an impact in a subdued performance.
Beyond these moments, Chelsea created little else of significance, lacking their usual clinical edge in the final third.
The challenging weather conditions added to the difficulty, but Maresca emphasized the importance of at least avoiding defeat in such matches.
Chelsea also had their defense to thank for salvaging a point, with Robert Sanchez producing a crucial save in the second half and Tosin Adarabioyo making an outstanding block to prevent a certain goal.
In the end, a draw felt like a fair reflection of the match as neither side did enough to claim victory.
Reflecting on the game, Maresca highlighted where his side fell short:
“I said we knew already, it was a tough game to create chances,” he told his post-match press conference.
“In general, you struggle to create chances against them. There was not space for Cole. Overall in this kind of game, you have to be clinical.”
Chelsea’s head coach will be hoping this performance was merely an anomaly in front of goal.
The Blues are now unbeaten in their last six league matches, but with Fulham up next on Boxing Day, the pressure to secure three points has intensified.
Maresca will undoubtedly be looking for a stronger attacking display from his team as they aim to bounce back and maintain their push for the top of the table.