Chelsea's stuttering new year form continued this afternoon with a 0-0 draw at home to 10 man Leicester City.
Antonio Conte's Premier League champions are yet to win since calendars flicked over to 2018, drawing all four of their games in all competitions and failing to score in their last three.
Today, even the 68th minute dismissal of Leicester City's Ben Chilwell couldn't help the Blues gain their first victory of 2018 in a game which remarkably saw Eden Hazard substituted just before the hour mark.
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And it was a tepid performance that wasn't lost on manager Conte, who refused to lay the blame at the feet of Chelsea's misfiring strikers, Alvaro Morata and Michy Batshuayi.
Speaking after the match, the Italian said, "I think the problem is for the team, not only for Morata. Compared to last season we are conceding less and showing more solidity.
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"But we haven't had great quality in our finishing. A lot of time defenders have had chances to score but didn't take them.
"We have to try to improve in this aspect, but the problem is not just for Morata, or [Michy] Batshuayi when he plays. We have to improve our quality in the last step."
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Today's performance was even greeted with boos and whistling by some sections of the Stamford Bridge faithful, which was not met particularly enthusiastically by goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who hit back at the vocally unhappy crowd in his post-match interview with Sky Sports.
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"It doesn't help when the fans boo and whistle after each misplaced pass. We didn't play well but that's when we need the fans behind us."
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Does the Chelsea number one have a right to be aggrieved with the home crowd or are the Blues' fans right to voice their disapproval with another disappointing performance and result?
Have your say in the comments section, below and on our Facebook page.
Featured Image Credit: PATopics: Football News, Chelsea, Football, Premier League, Thibaut Courtois
