Enzo Maresca hopes Chelsea can improve their conversion rate to aid title hopes

Glasgow Times

4 hours ago

The Blues have spent around £160million on attacking players, all of whom played some part in Sunday's lacklustre 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge.
Despite a new look forward line, the difficulty the home side had in breaking down Palace bore hallmarks familiar to supporters who frequently watched their team labour to create and convert opportunities last season.
Chelsea ranked second in last season's Premier League in terms of big chances missed and placed 11th in percentage of shots scored.
Their tally of 64 league goals was beaten by Brighton and Brentford and matched by 17th-place Tottenham, whilst champions Liverpool outscored Maresca's team by 22.
'I don't know if we (now) have more capacity (to score), but for sure if we've made changes it's because we think that with changes we could improve out attacking phase,' said Maresca.
'I was quite happy last year in terms goals we scored but with the amount of chances we created, I think we were one of the best in the league.'
Strikers Liam Delap and Joao Pedro have been brought in to try and revitalise an attack which relied too heavily on goals from defence and midfield during the last campaign, though both players struggled to make an impact in the draw with Palace.
Nicolas Jackson was the team's only senior striker last season but suffered a goal drought which lasted almost five months between December and May, whilst teenager Marc Guiu failed to score in the league. Both players also spent significant time out injured.
Neither is set to play a role at Stamford Bridge this season with Jackson having been told he can leave and Guiu currently on loan at Sunderland.
'Hopefully also this season we can be a bit more lucky in terms injury,' said Maresca. 'Don't forget last season we lost Nico and Guiu. But if we are able to create the same volume (of chances) that we created last year I'm quite happy.
Liam Delap, left, and Joao Pedro have bolstered Chelsea's attacking options (John Walton/PA)
'Hopefully this season we can be more clinical when we need to be.'
Maresca reiterated the club's position on Jackson, who scored just 10 league goals last season, and has been made surplus to requirements following the arrivals of Delap and Pedro.
The 24-year-old, who was suspended for the draw with Palace, will not play in Friday's trip to West Ham and has drawn interested from Newcastle, who are waiting for a resolution to their stand-off with Alexander Isak before deciding whether to move.
'We've brought two strikers,' said Maresca. 'The player (Jackson) is open to leave. If there is any good solution, he is going to leave.
Nicolas Jackson will not play when Chelsea visit West Ham (Rafal Oleksiewicz/PA)
'It's very easy. It's not complicated. I've said already that Nico is a very good player. He can be even better.'
On the new arrivals, the Italian added: 'Pedro probably in the small space gives us more than Liam. Liam probably gives us a bit more in terms of physicality and runs in behind. It depends on the gameplan.
'On Sunday it was difficult for any striker, but both are good and both are going to score goals.'
Chelsea have accepted a £26million offer from Villarreal for defender Renato Veiga, the PA news agency understands.
The Portugal left-back's departure would take Chelsea's total player sales this summer to over £250m.
Renato Veiga is set to leave Chelsea for Villarreal (Adam Davy/PA)
The Blues are poised to make a hefty profit on the 22-year-old having paid £12m for him when he arrived from Basel in July 2024.
Veiga, who signed a seven-year contract with Chelsea, made just one Premier League start for them last season and six appearances off the bench.
He spent the second half of the 2024-25 campaign on loan at Juventus, making 12 starts in Serie A.
Chelsea have so far sold 10 players this summer and should Veiga complete his move, they will have recouped around £252m from 11 departures to offset the £277m they have spent on nine new players.