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Bruno Saltor offers a positive perspective on Chelsea’s continued goal woes.
As many opportunities went unutilized in the 0-0 draw with Liverpool, Chelsea interim manager Bruno Saltor suggested that the only thing lacking is confidence in front of the goal.
The West Londoners made a disappointing point against Jurgen Klopp’s Reds to start the post-Graham Potter era, missing a ton of fantastic chances and having two goals disallowed for inconsequential errors.
Reece James’s fierce half-volley was disallowed for a slight offside against Enzo Fernandez in the buildup to the first half, while Kai Havertz’s potential opening was ruled out for handball by VAR when his original attempt deflected off Alisson and rebounded onto his arm.
After the game, in a press conference, Bruno acknowledged that Chelsea’s wastefulness had been frustrating to see because of the way the players had been converting chances in training.
The Spaniard noted a lot of positives before arguing that the main issue is a lack of confidence in front of the goal. But, transferring it into competitive games is proving to be difficult.
“We created enough chances to win the game. Two goals disallowed. The boys gave everything, they played with their heart,” Bruno said.
“You can’t ask for more. It’s execution. They’re in front of the goal. They’re human beings. The confidence has to be there.
“Sometimes when one [chance is missed, others] after is a consequence. We just need to keep helping the boys. They’ve been going through a lot as well. It’s been a tough season for them.
“I know they miss chances. But what they could affect the most was the attitude and the effort, and that was there. They score a lot of goals in training. But coming to a game is completely different.
“It’s been really difficult for them. It’s not the first time they been in this situation this season. As a player you invest a lot in the manager. There’s been good relationships with Graham and the players. The players have suffered as well.”
Just seven clubs have a worse record than Chelsea’s in the Premier League this season, and they are all battling relegation. All season, Chelsea has only scored 29 goals.