Borussia Dortmund 1-0 Chelsea: Blues haunted by scoring issues again

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Joao Felix sees a changeable saved against Borussia Dortmund

Twenty 1 shots, 8 connected target, nary goals and different defeat.

The Blues had capable chances to triumph the archetypal limb of their Champions League last-16 necktie - and triumph it comfortably - but mediocre finishing, large saves and the woodwork conspired against them.

There has, understandably, been plentifulness of scrutiny focused connected Graham Potter since helium became Chelsea brag successful September, but adjacent his biggest critics indispensable sympathise with him aft this loss.

Against a Dortmund broadside who had won each crippled they had played truthful acold successful 2023, the visitors were the amended broadside for ample periods, but arsenic chances came and went earlier Karim Adeyemi broke to people a superb solo extremity for the hosts, it indispensable person felt similar luck had erstwhile again deserted Potter and Chelsea.

"Overall we were pleased with the show for large parts of the game," said Potter.

"It was an adjacent archetypal half, we managed the crippled rather good and had immoderate bully opportunities. In the 2nd half, isolated from the decisive enactment wherever we didn't bash good enough, I thought we were the dominant, amended team.

"We request a spot of luck possibly successful the last execution and I deliberation we deserved a goal. We person to support going. It is half-time and we look guardant to Stamford Bridge."

'Chelsea troubles haunt them again'

Former Everton midfielder Leon Osman, watching the crippled for BBC Radio 5 Live, agreed with Potter's appraisal and felt they did not get the effect their show warranted.

"I americium wondering however Chelsea person lost," helium said.

"I deliberation they played truly good astatine times, they created truly bully opportunities but the happening that has troubled them successful their past 4 oregon 5 games has haunted them again."

As mentioned, Chelsea had 21 shots connected extremity astatine Dortmund with 8 of those connected target. The Blues' expected goals, which measures however bully your chances were, was 2.14 - the fourth-highest standing of immoderate squad successful this season's Champions League without scoring.

The deficiency of goals is an contented that has troubled Chelsea passim Potter's clip astatine the nine truthful far. In his 24 matches, they person scored conscionable 25 goals. They person not managed much than 1 extremity successful lucifer since 2 November.

Their struggles successful the last 3rd marque it each the much bewildering that contempt spending astir £288m successful January - much than the combined full of each clubs successful the Bundesliga, La Liga, Serie A and Ligue 1 - they did not put successful a proven out-and-out striker, portion besides leaving erstwhile Arsenal and Barcelona guardant Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang retired of their Champions League squad.

Joao Felix, 1 of the January arrivals, enactment successful a superb performance, peculiar successful the archetypal half, but helium was blameworthy of immoderate of Chelsea's biggest missed opportunities, shooting implicit from a bully presumption successful the archetypal fractional and past hitting the crossbar erstwhile it seemed easier to score.

Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez, who joined Chelsea for a British grounds £107m interest past month, besides saw a superb precocious onslaught kept retired by Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.

"The players person been moving truly well," Potter said.

"They cognize the concern we are successful and the challenges we person but it is exciting. Their cognition has been really, truly good. The tone is determination successful the team; we conscionable request a small spot of luck."

'A squad successful progress' but wins request to travel soon

There were tons of positives to instrumentality from Chelsea's wide show but portion Dortmund can't halt winning successful 2023, the Blues person managed conscionable 1 triumph successful 9 games truthful acold this year.

Potter believes the fans tin spot and admit the bully things his broadside person been doing, but helium knows those wins request to commencement coming soon.

"The show [against Dortmund] was different measurement guardant for us," helium added.

"Hopefully we amended and I deliberation we volition and successful 3 weeks clip we tin instrumentality the crippled astatine Stamford Bridge."

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