If there was ever a game where defences came out on top, this was it, as Wolves and Chelsea played out an underwhelming 0-0 draw which saw the ‘Blues’ fall six points behind in the Premier League (PL) title race.
Goals are most certainly at a premium at Molineux, with the 12 seen there this season a PL low. Wolves thought they had added number 13 to that tally when Fernando Marçal’s teasing delivery was slammed home by Daniel Podence, but Raúl Jiménez was adjudged to have strayed offside in the build up and the linesman’s flag went up 23 seconds after the ball had hit the back of the net. The disallowed goal did little to kick-start Chelsea’s afternoon, as they struggled to gain a foothold in the game, with the 11 players Thomas Tuchel had thrown together evidently lacking cohesion. Their lack of attacking intent resulted in the first away PL game this season in which Chelsea failed to lead at the break.
The second half opened in much the same fashion, although Chelsea were much sprightlier and beginning to knock on the door. The ‘Blues’ were bidding to score two or more goals in five successive PL games for the first time since July 2020, but with no out-and-out striker on the pitch, the prospects of that record falling were becoming slimmer by the minute. Wolves had a record of their own they were looking to extend, with two wins in their last three home outings against Chelsea, but with no attempts on goal in the opening 30 minutes of the second half, that too was looking unlikely.
Indeed the first shot-on-target of the half came in the 78th minute, with Christian Pulisic the architect, but his delicate effort was well kept out by José Sá, who had been called into action for the first time in the game. Despite their best efforts, Chelsea couldn’t break down a Wolves side who have now seen three of their last six PL games end 0-0.
