Chelsea held to goalless draw by Crystal Palace despite £250m attack
Chelsea's new £250m striking lineup fails to break down Crystal Palace in Premier League opener, raising questions over finishing and early season form.
Chelsea were held to a goalless draw by Crystal Palace in their Premier League opener despite fielding six new forwards signed for a combined £250m.
Summer signing Joao Pedro started up front, flanked by Jamie Gittens and Pedro Neto on the wings. Cole Palmer played as an attacking midfielder, but Palace dominated early proceedings.
Palace thought they had scored when Eberechi Eze’s 13th-minute free kick found the net, only for VAR to rule it out because Marc Guehi stood too close to Chelsea’s wall.
Chelsea introduced Estevao Willian and Liam Delap in the second half, but clear chances went begging, as did one late effort by substitute Andrey Santos, leaving the hosts frustrated at Stamford Bridge.
Data Analysis
Chelsea managed just three shots on target, one fewer than Palace, yet recorded an expected goals (xG) of 1.81 compared to Palace’s 1.07. This was Chelsea’s highest xG without scoring in a league match this season. Since 2022-23, 88% of teams with an xG between 1.7 and 1.9 have scored at least once.
Should Chelsea be concerned?
At this early stage concerns should be limited, but the match highlighted finishing issues and limited chemistry among new signings. Manager Enzo Maresca acknowledged the short pre-season and believes the squad will grow stronger with time.
Injury to defender Levi Colwill forced academy graduate Josh Acheampong into the side, where he impressed. Chelsea continue to explore additions in defense and attack before the transfer window closes.
Despite a strong xG performance, Chelsea’s £250m attacking lineup struggled to convert chances, exposing finishing issues early in the season.
This topic was reported by BBC Sport.
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