Another game, another story of missed chances. Chelsea’s goalless draw against Brentford on Sunday was yet another reminder of the Blues’ ongoing struggles in front of goal – and head coach Enzo Maresca acknowledged it.

In his post-match comments, Maresca struck a familiar tone. “I think we had more than 20 shots, and the goal is the only thing we were missing,” he said. “Overall it was a good performance.”

That may be true on the surface – Chelsea were dominant in possession, controlled the tempo, and peppered Brentford’s goal with efforts. But when you dig a little deeper, the issues that have plagued the Blues all season came to the fore once again: a lack of clinical edge and the inability to turn control into goals.

Yes, 20 shots sound impressive – but how many truly tested the Brentford goalkeeper? The first half was especially uninspiring, with Chelsea struggling to carve out clear-cut opportunities. The likes of Nicolas Jackson and Cole Palmer buzzed around the box but lacked the killer instinct needed to break down a resolute Brentford defence.

Maresca hinted at a tactical tweak based on the team’s recent schedule. “We played on Thursday evening, so the idea was to start the match one way and finish it another,” he explained. “I think the plan almost worked. We just lacked a goal.”

But this is not the first time we’ve heard that. Chelsea fans are growing tired of “almosts.” Almost scoring. Almost executing the plan. Almost winning. The truth is, at this stage of the season, Chelsea need more than performances that flirt with success – they need results.

The positives? The Blues are showing structure under Maresca. The team looks more balanced and controlled than it did earlier in the campaign. But unless Chelsea find a reliable goal source, these kinds of games will continue to frustrate.

Because for all the talk of progress, football is still a results game – and you don’t get points for style or shot count.

It’s time for someone to step up and turn all those “more than 20 shots” into goals.