Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca downplays concerns over his side’s attack after a goalless draw at Bournemouth, despite the team’s misfiring in the final third.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has played down the growing concern over his side’s attack despite misfiring against Bournemouth on Saturday. The Blues had scored in each of their past 13 league matches since the opening day of the season, but were held to a 0-0 draw at the Vitality Stadium.

Maresca attributed the team’s struggles to a lack of quality in the final third, saying, “I think it was a game where we lacked a little bit of quality in the final third.” He added that Chelsea made many mistakes, missing passes and opportunities to shoot instead of crossing.

Despite the goalless draw, Chelsea’s attack remains one of the strongest in the league, ranking third behind only Manchester City and Arsenal for xG (expected goals) after 14 games. However, Maresca emphasized the importance of not losing, saying, “When you are not able to win, it’s important that we don’t lose.”

Maresca also revealed that striker Liam Delap’s shoulder injury is a concern, saying, “It looks quite bad, his shoulder.” Delap was forced off in the first half of the draw, adding to Chelsea’s injury woes.

“We missed some passes in the final third, moments where we could shoot instead of crossing,” Maresca said. The goalless draw means Chelsea remain in fourth place in the league table, and Maresca will be looking to regroup and refocus his team for their upcoming fixtures, especially in the Champions League clash against Atalanta on Tuesday.