Manuel Pellegrini had mixed emotions after West Ham United were held to a goalless Premier League draw by Chelsea at London Stadium.
The Hammers ceded possession to the Blues for long periods on Sunday, but it was the hosts who created the clearer chances, with Michail Antonio firing over and seeing a shot saved by Kepa Arrizabalaga in the first half and the unmarked Andriy Yarmolenko heading wide from six yards in the second.
So, while Pellegrini was happy with the way his team defended in keeping their first clean sheet of the season against a strong opponent, he was frustrated by the opportunities his players missed to turn one point into three.
It’s important [to get a point] but I always want to win and, when you have some clear chances, you are never happy not to win the game
Manuel Pellegrini
“It’s a good point because we were playing against Chelsea who were high up the table and had scored 14 goals in their first five games in the Premier League,” he observed. “Today, I think it was a very close game with few clear chances. We had some clear chances with Antonio in the first half and Yarmolenko in the second half and they had one clear chance with the rebound that Morata hit against the goalkeeper.
“I think we played a good practical game because we allowed them to have the ball in the zone we wanted them to have it. When they got near the box we defended well and kept our first clean sheet.”
When pressed on whether he was disappointed by the missed chances, Pellegrini instead chose to praise his players for their work-rate, discipline and commitment against a Chelsea team who enjoyed 72 per cent of the ball overall.
“Football is like that. If you don’t score the chances you have, you don’t win, but I am happy with the team and happy because we are working for every ball.
“Maybe I’d have preferred it if we had had more possession, but we created some chances.
“I think that was a good tactical game and, if you don’t get the win, at least don’t lose it. I’m happy because we prepared for the game and the way we prepared, we did it.”
While they did not score, West Ham looked more solid than at any time under Pellegrini, with Lukasz Fabianksi sure-handed in goal on a wet afternoon, Issa Diop and Fabian Balbuena continuing to develop their partnership and Declan Rice, Mark Noble and Pedro Obiang again forming a strong trio in midfield.
That team-first ethic kept Chelsea at arm’s length for the most part, pleasing a manager who had put a detailed tactical plan in place to do just that.
“It’s important [to get a point] but I always want to win and, when you have some clear chances, you are never happy not to win the game.
“I repeat it seemed that they had a lot of possession but without any danger near our box.
“You must score your chances so, I repeat, I’m not happy that we didn’t win, but I am happy because the format was good and we kept a clean sheet and, I repeat, if you can’t win, then you have to draw.”