BEVERLY HILLS, March 13, (THEWILL) – For the fifth consecutive game in all competitions and the seventh in eight games English Premier League side Chelsea ended a tie with clean sheets when managers Marcelo Bielsa and Thomas Tuchel shared the spoils as their Leeds United and Chelsea sides delivered an entertaining 0-0 spectacle on Saturday at Elland Road.
Both sides struggled but could not find a way through in the Round 28 fixture. Fourth-placed Chelsea therefore missed an opportunity to achieve their first league double over Leeds since the 1988-89 campaign, when both were in the second tier of English football.
The Leeds manager Bielsa had a one of a kind game with two injuries he could have wished against if he had the power. He had to substitute a substitute when Rodrigo Machado the unlucky man, and Patrick Bamford came off injured in his 100th match for the West Yorkshire side, but despite abundant endeavour, the game finished goalless.
There was almost a turnaround moment for Chelsea when the ball very nearly ended up in the net in what could have been an farcical own goal as two Leeds defenders combined to almost jeopardise the team’s effort to not concede. Then, there was Kai Havertz who compromised Tuchel’s game plan by failing to capitalise on a string of chances to put the game to bed.
The implication for the Blues is that all their thriftiness at the back that has seen them maintain a compact defense-line since the coming of Tuchel will be of little to no benefit if they do not show that same sense of responsibility in attack and deliver the goals they need to get into Europe’s elite competition next season. They will have to become more clinical in the final third to make their defensive improvements count.
The bland draw could prove costly in Chelsea’s attempt to qualify for next season’s Champions League. Those other clubs eyeing a fourth-placed finish such as West Ham, Everton and Tottenham are revving up their challenge as they pick up points to close the gap behind the Blues.
That is why it is imperative for a forward of Havertz calibre to be more clinical. The German’s free-scoring form as an attacking midfielder while at the Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen was part of what drew Chelsea’s attention to bring him to Stamford Bridge in their summer shopping spree.
How long before they see that form replicated in the EPL is impossible to say. Prior to the clash at Leeds, he had only scored just once after 20 games for the Blues which is why his shot conversion rate this season dropped to 5.56 per cent. Against Leeds, he managed four goal attempts, which incidentally is the most he has had in a Premier League game. Yet, there was little to show for all of them.
To Chelsea’s credit, they made sure Leeds had only 38.1 per cent of possession, the lowest the hosts have recorded in any of their 120 league games under Bielsa’s leadership so far. But, the issue for Tuchel’s Chelsea, who are beginning to boss the midfield as they shut down the defence is the acute lack of a cutting edge up front to make for a complete and total elite squad.
An avenue for Tuchel to explore in making that happen before they can shop for new options in the transfer market to bolster their attack, is the French striker Olivier Giroud. The forward, who is the second highest scorer in the history of the French national team, was sat on the bench throughout the Leeds’ match.
It is possible Tuchel plans to keep him fresh for the midweek Champions League home return leg against Atletico Madrid but a run-in while the clock wound down against Leeds could have given Giroud a super-sub chance to provide a goal for all three points.
Rather, Tuchel went with Timo Werner, who was introduced after the midway point in the second half. He, just like Havertz, could not deliver the goods in attack for the side that is stopping others from also delivering the goods for their own sides.
Tuchel’s strong defensive line has seen him chalk up 12 unbeaten games since taking over from Frank Lampard. That is the joint-longest unbeaten start by a manager in the club’s history, matching Luiz Felipe Scolari’s tally, who managed the Blues from July 2003 to June 2008.
Given club owner, Roman Abramovic’s penchant for firing managers, Tuchel will hope to stay at the club longer than Scolari’s brief stint. To do that, his charges must find their scoring boots sooner than later as their top four qualification chances will require more than just not conceding goals.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
