Chelsea can only blame itself for not capitalizing on domination

The points were shared between Chelsea and Manchester United in the standout fixture of the weekend in the Premier League. It was yet another disappointing performance for the league leaders against the Red Devils, who have extended their unbeaten run in the league against the Blues to eight matches. As a result, Thomas Tuchel’s side has dropped points at home in consecutive matches after a similarly frustrating result against Burnley.

The match was similar to the ones fans have seen from the team in recent times. Despite the domination and possession, the lack of effectiveness in front of the goal ultimately decided the fate of the match. The performance was in stark contrast to the one the fans saw three days beforehand against Juventus in the Champions League. Even though the Blues are still atop the Premier League table, their lead has been cut to just one point. The next time they drop points, they could end up third in the table behind defending champion Manchester City and Liverpool. Nevertheless, Chelsea only has itself to blame for dropping points against a struggling United side.

Chelsea dropped points against against Man United but only has itself to blame

Obviously, it can be said both Man City and Liverpool have dropped points as well this season. For the teams fighting for the title to drop points, the opponents have to produce some exceptional performances. Recent matches where the pair dropped points are a perfect example of this concept. Crystal Palace and West Ham United got better of Man City and Liverpool respectively on the back of brilliant 90-minute outings. However, that cannot be said about the Blues’ matches against both Burnley and Man United. The hosts had the majority of possession in both matches, but it was in making use of the advantage where they failed. Injuries to key forwards and midfielders have been a blow to them. Nevertheless, Chelsea’s performance in other matches implies it has the talent and ability to overcome those obstacles.

During previous seasons, it felt like having a forward in their prime would help avoid such issues. But despite having two strikers with different qualities and attributes, the issue seems to remain. It’s not like they were not scoring at their previous clubs. Both Timo Werner and Romelu Lukaku were scoring goals for fun at their previous destinations, but for one reason or another, they have failed to replicate that at Stamford Bridge thus far.

It comes as no surprise for any Blues fan that Reece James, a right wingback, is their top scorer. As long as goals come in, the source is never an issue, but when matches like Burnley and Man United happen, the question arises again. There were moments in both matches when their players had a chance to score. Ross Barkley missing a golden opportunity against Burnley and Callum Hudson-Odoi squandering a chance from close range on Sunday are two of the many examples. The goal conceded on Sunday was a result of an unfortunate mistake from Jorginho. Regardless, the fact that Chelsea needed a penalty to equalize is where the issue exists. Man United fans were thrilled with the draw while home fans were gutted. It shows where the teams are at the moment. The Blues are fighting for the title, they cannot afford to drop points against struggling teams when there are two teams waiting to pounce.

How do you think Chelsea should solve its finishing issues? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!