Big Chances, set pieces and why Chelsea still has much room for improvement

Chelsea currently sits third in the Premier League table, having gathered 19 points from 11 games (1.73 points per game). While the West London side remains one of the top scorers in the league, there are some defensive issues that suggest the Blues might go downhill from here, rather than up.

Enzo Maresca's men had a difficult preseason, conceding two goals to Wrexham, four to Celtic, and four to Manchester City's third-string side. These defensive issues have persisted, and while Chelsea has scored heavily in some matches, their off-the-ball weakness has been a near constant.

Chelsea has allowed 13 goals in 11 games so far, keeping just two clean sheets. This means the Blues have conceded 1.2 goals per game, and 1.4 goals per game in the matches where they have allowed goals. This suggests a relatively weak defensive structure.

Big Chances conceded

Chelsea is among the league leaders in big chances created per game (3), but also ranks poorly in big chances allowed, with over 2.5 big chances conceded per game. This means the West London side should have conceded more than 13 goals by now.