Chelsea‘s attacking struggles continued as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Bournemouth in the Premier League. This marks the second consecutive game in which the Blues failed to score.
The first half of the match was lackluster, with few clear-cut chances for either side. Nicolas Jackson came closest to scoring for Chelsea, hitting the foot of the post in the 14th minute. Conor Gallagher also missed a glorious opportunity just after the half-hour mark.
In the second half, Chelsea thought they had taken the lead when Raheem Sterling struck the angle of the post and crossbar with a free kick, and Levi Colwill scored from the rebound. However, the goal was ruled out for offside.
Bournemouth introduced Justin Kluivert as a second-half substitute, which gave them a much-needed attacking edge. Kluivert was fouled on the edge of the area in the 76th minute, but Philip Billing’s subsequent free kick was deflected wide for a corner.
Chelsea came closest to scoring late in the game when Sterling found Cole Palmer, but Bournemouth goalkeeper Neto made a brilliant one-handed reflex save to deny the substitute’s volley.
The draw means Chelsea have now fired 35 shots in their last two games without finding the back of the net. This lack of finishing and composure is concerning, especially considering the significant amount of money they have spent on their attack.
Overall, the match was a disappointment, with both teams struggling to create clear scoring opportunities. Bournemouth believed they could snatch a late victory and pushed forward in the final minutes.
There were shouts for a penalty when Palmer’s shot was saved and Jackson claimed a follow-up hit an arm, but it was ruled to have hit a leg instead.
In the end, the match finished goalless, with Chelsea once again failing to find the back of the net. They will need to improve their finishing if they want to challenge for titles this season.
