Maresca as been hit with an injury blowplaceholder image
Maresca as been hit with an injury blow | Getty Images
Chelsea could be without a key player during an important run of fixtures.
Chelsea suffered an injury blow on Saturday ahead of an important run of games. The Blues lost to Leeds United during the week and failed to bounce back against an out of form AFC Bournemouth side on Saturday, drawing 0-0 on the South coast.
To make matters worse for Chelsea, they lost striker Liam Delap to a shoulder injury in the 32nd minute, with the forward requiring a substitution after picking up a shoulder injury. The forward has already missed a chunk of action with a hamstring issue this season, and he now looks set for another spell on the sidelines, with shoulder issues often proving troublesome.
“Unfortunately he has already been out for two months and he has to be out again,” Enzo Maresca said at full time. “We don't know for how long, but it looks quite bad, his shoulder. He has been unlucky. We are also a bit unlucky because we need that kind of a No.9.”
The injury is a big blow for Chelsea ahead of an important run of games that will see them face fifth-placed Everton, Newcastle United and Aston Villa, all teams who are likely to be in and around the European race this season.
Chelsea also have a Champions League date with Atalanta and a Carabao Cup Round of 16 clash with Cardiff City during that busy run of fixtures.
Chelsea left frustrated
Maresca was left unhappy with his side’s execution at full-time, but in the absence of a goal, he was pleased to come away with a point.
“I think it was a game where we lacked and we missed a little bit of quality in the last third,” he added. “For me, there were many mistakes. We missed some passes in the last third, some moments that we could shoot and didn’t.
“But overall, when you are not able to win, we have said many times, that it's important that we don't lose.’ I think it is because of a lack of quality in the last third for me, personally, in terms of last pass, some crosses, some moments.
“We know that we are not going to score every game. I didn't know, to be honest, that [Chelsea had scored in every game] since Crystal Palace. Now we're going to try to score on Tuesday, but it's important at least to keep the clean sheet that gives us at least the chance to take points.”
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