{"id":24498,"date":"2021-12-19T11:50:00","date_gmt":"2021-12-19T16:50:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=24498"},"modified":"2021-12-20T10:53:07","modified_gmt":"2021-12-20T15:53:07","slug":"depleted-chelsea-play-out-scoreless-draw-with-wolves","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=24498","title":{"rendered":"Depleted Chelsea Play Out Scoreless Draw With Wolves"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Chelsea\u2019s Mason Mount appears dejected after full-time at Molineux (PA Wire\/PA Images)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Covid-hit Chelsea ground out a goalless draw with Wolves at a foggy Molineux to lose further ground on Premier League leaders Manchester City.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Podence had a first-half tap-in chalked off for offside and Leander Dendoncker spurned a glorious chance as luckless Wolves forced Chelsea to settle for a fourth draw in eight top-flight matches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chelsea travelled to the midlands without at least eight senior players but still managed to field a strong XI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Blues again struggled for fluency however, eventually slipping six points behind leaders and defending champions City.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the Molineux mist thickened, so too did the clouds of portent descend on Chelsea\u2019s title bid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the Blues labored without reward, Pep Guardiola\u2019s City swept to their eighth straight Premier League win with an ominous 4-0 hammering of Newcastle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chelsea were left \u201cdeeply disappointed\u201d by the Premier League rejecting their request to postpone the Wolves trip, given their rising Covid-19 cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Blues were without seven top stars at Molineux due to coronavirus, with Jorginho removed as a precaution, having returned one positive and then one negative test.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Manager Thomas Tuchel even conceded the Blues were \u201ca bit angry\u201d to be forced to play, while Premier League bosses did not consider the Blues\u2019 situation merited a postponement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

N\u2019Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic were pressed into premature service after long-term injuries then, with Chelsea only able to name four outfield players on their bench.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kovacic only returned from Covid isolation on Friday, to add to almost two months of being sidelined after a hamstring strain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wolves could so easily have been two goals to the good at the break.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Podence tapped home to cap a smart move, thinking he had put Wolves into the lead inside the quarter-hour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the goal was finally chalked off for Raul Jimenez\u2019s offside, with the Mexico striker having played and missed Marcal\u2019s teasing low ball across the area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kante escaped censure when the ball flicked up onto his arm, with Podence lurking and likely to have been played free by Jose Sa\u2019s raking pass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And then Leander Dendoncker fluffed a totally free header from a fine Podence cross.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Belgium midfielder hit the target but with nowhere near enough venom to trouble Edouard Mendy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trevoh Chalobah was replaced at half-time, with Kovacic tasting his first action since late October.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christian Pulisic could have poked in a late winner only to see his effort palmed clear by Sa after a smart Chelsea raid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But despite a solid performance the Blues could not make the breakthrough, and were left to lament further ground conceded in the title race.<\/p>\n

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