Every word Enzo Maresca said on Bournemouth frustration, Liam Delap injury and what cost Chelsea

The full transcript from Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca’s press conference following his team’s goalless draw against Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday afternoon

Enzo Maresca has just completed his post-match press conference following Chelsea’s goalless draw with Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.

Both the Cherries and the Blues had the opportunities to steal all three points on Saturday afternoon, but both had to settle with a draw instead. Maresca has just wrapped up his post-match presser – and below is the full transcript:

What was missing today?

I think it was a game where we lacked, we missed a little bit of quality in the last third. For me, many mistakes. We missed some passes in the last third, some moments that we could shoot and avoid that, cross. But yeah, overall, when you are not able to win, we said many times that it’s important that we don’t lose.

Was it individuals maybe not having confidence, not taking responsibility?

No, no, no, no, no, no, not for this. I think it’s a normal mistake that can happen, you know, like a last pass in the last third. It’s just for that. I think Cole [Palmer] was quite good on that, you know, played half an hour the other day, played one hour today. So now it’s important that he can build the physical condition.

Bad injury for Liam Delap?

Yeah, unfortunately he was already out two months and he has to be out again. We don’t know for how long, but it looks quite bad, his shoulder.

It has been a frustrating time for Delap…

Yeah, he has been unlucky. He was out two months already, now he has to be out again. Also, we are a bit unlucky because we need that kind of a No.9. We tried today with Marc [Guiu].

The first time you haven’t scored in a game since August. What was that down to?

No, I think a lack of quality in the last third for me, personally, in terms of last pass, you know, some cross, some moment. We know that we are not going to score every game. I didn’t know, to be honest, that was from [Crystal] Palace [game in August]. 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.

Do you think Trevoh Chalobah and Wesley Fofana are going to expect to be your main pairing from now on?

At the moment, yeah. At the moment I think in the last four or five clean sheets we had they were always there. They are doing very good.

Difficult to catch Arsenal in the title race now?

I think it’s… My message after Arsenal was that if in February, March we are where we were, we are in a title race. That’s why I said because it’s so long way, too many games until February, March that it’s difficult. But again, the table is so close, tight. You win two games in a row and you are there. In case you are not able to win two games in a row, you drop a little bit. I’m still thinking that the four, five, six teams that are at the top, they are going to be all close in the moment that you are able to win one or two games in a row.