A rainy, gloomy and windy day enhanced the final trip to face Everton at Goodison Park. for Chelsea.

And that saw both teams struggling to make a breakthrough, resulting in a 0-0 scoreline.

This draw prevented Chelsea from going to the top of the league even for a few hours, but they will sit in second place on Christmas Day – their highest position in the festive league since 2021.

Chelsea set to target centre-back in January

While Chelsea managed to keep a clean sheet today, the defensive duo of Tosin Adarabioyo and Levi Colwill, while solid, faced limited challenges. Enzo Maresca’s first choice partner for Colwill, Wesley Fofana, is said to be out for the long term, and third choice Benoît Badiashile is also said to be unavailable.

In today’s match, Axel Disasi was moved into a right-back role, although he operated more as a right center-back in the build-up play. It was evident, however, that he struggled to play in wider defensive spaces. Strengthening the defense with a versatile central defender in January seems essential, especially with top picks absent.

Chelsea must be more threatening from set pieces

Chelsea won five corners and 20 fouls, many in dangerous areas, but failed to capitalize. Enzo Fernandez and Cole Palmer hit the wall repeatedly, wasting promising opportunities.

This season, Chelsea have only scored one goal from a corner: Disasi’s header against Southampton. A team that once feared for its set-piece dominance must revive that threat, especially in games like today, where chances to score from open play were limited.

Marc Cucurella is key to Chelsea’s system

The absence of Marc Cucurella was undoubtedly felt. Suspended following his red card last weekend, his usual role as an inverted full-back fell to Malo Gusto, who seemed ill-suited to playing in midfield. Cucurella excels in this role, often finding himself in an advanced left 8 position, while Gusto is better suited to his natural right-back position, particularly with his defensive qualities.

Additionally, the lack of overlapping runs today from the fullbacks was an issue. Disasi’s lack of natural tendencies as a full-back hampered a flowing support on the right for Pedro Neto, while Jadon Sancho missed a similar assist on the left. Cucurella’s return will be vital for the team’s tactical balance.

Are low blocks Chelsea’s biggest enemy?

Breaking down low blocks has been a persistent problem for Chelsea, particularly last season. While recent performances, such as last weekend’s win over Brentford, suggest improvement, today’s game highlighted ongoing challenges.

Everton did not always sit deep but defended compactly at key moments. Palmer, for example, struggled to find space, limiting his creative influence. Despite Chelsea’s patient preparation and three big chances created, they failed to convert.

Some fans believe the joint deployment of Joao Félix and Palmer could have unlocked Everton’s defense. Statistically, however, Chelsea have shown incremental progress against defensive setups.

Everton 0-0 Chelsea reaction with Jam

“It was cold, it was windy, are you there?”

🎥 | @Carefree_Jam #CFCSocial | #CFC pic.twitter.com/rosIYu3CRq

– The Chelsea Social (@TheChelsSocial) December 22, 2024

Robert Sánchez to the rescue

Despite the criticism since he joined Chelsea, a match like today justifies Maresca’s confidence in Robert Sanchez. A crucial first-half save to deny Jack Harrison from close range and another save from Orel Mangala kept Chelsea in the game.

Sánchez has made key saves this season in matches against Bournemouth, Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa in particular. While his shot-stopping ability is undoubtedly strong, questions remain about his consistency.

Written by Abbie Jensen (@abbiiiieex)

Edited by Harrison Burridge (@hburridge2)