Chelsea player ratings vs Bournemouth: Solid defence but disappointing up front
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Chelsea could not bounce back with a win against Bournemouth on Saturday as they face an increasing risk of losing their spot in the top four.
The Blues spent more time with the ball as usual, but Bournemouth had more expected goals, more shot attempts, and the better chances.
It is unfair to the hosts to say Chelsea dropped two points with the 0-0 draw, but from an expectation perspective, they certainly did.
Head coach Enzo Maresca fielded arguably his strongest available team, with both Reece James and Wesley Fofana returning to the starting line-up.
It was a success as Chelsea kept their eight clean sheet in the league, the joint-highest in the competition, but the team were underwhelming offensively despite Cole Palmer's presence as a starter.
The visitors failed to make any big chances in the game, and the fact that goalkeeper Robert Sanchez was officially named the man of the match speaks volumes.
Liam Delap also sustained what appeared to be a shoulder injury and was to leave the pitch after just 32 minutes.
Marc Guiu got the nod to lead the line in his place, but despite his industrious effort on the pitch, it was not enough.
Here are the Chelsea player ratings vs Bournemouth, as revealed by SofaScore.
Starting XI
Robert Sanchez: 7.7
Malo Gusto: 7.1
Wesley Fofana: 7.8
Trevoh Chalobah: 7.5
Marc Cucurella: 6.6
Reece James: 7.2
Enzo Fernandez: 7.3
Pedro Neto: 6.8
Cole Palmer: 6.8
Alejandro Garnacho: 6.8
Liam Delap: 6.4
Substitutes:
Marc Guiu: 6.4
Joao Pedro: 6.9
Estevao: 6.3
Chelsea stay in fourth in the table for now, but could drop to fifth if Crystal Palace beat Fulham on Sunday.
Unfortunately, the Blues are closer on points to 13th-placed Bournemouth than they are to league leaders Arsenal, so unless they start winning league games, Maresca's side must expect a long battle for the Champions League spots.
Gerry Crisandy is a freelance writer who has covered Chelsea for many years. His work has been published on The Chelsea Chronicle and Pride of London. He grew up idolising Michael Ballack and is a firm believer in expected goals.