Takeaways from Chelsea’s convincing Bournemouth win: necessary business
It was one of those performances that the Blues desperately needed. CFC fans may be holding their breath as they await the status of Reece James, but a dominant display at Stamford Bridge right out of the break should bode well as the group heads into a tough road of fixtures. Behind plenty of quick and precise passing through each level of the pitch, the Blues ran riot on the Cherries’ defense for the majority of the contest.
Two quality team goals from Chelsea within eight minutes of each other were enough to lift Graham Potter and his men to a win that prevented the losing streak in the Premier League from going to an unheard-of four matches. Heading into the match, Bournemouth had been a thorn in CFC’s side, defeating the Blues in three out of their previous five matchups together in all competitions, including a 1-0 victory at the Bridge in December 2019.
Five straight losses in the previous six contests in all competitions left a dark cloud over CFC during the weeks of the World Cup. Fans had been waiting for their club’s return on the day after Boxing Day, and in a relatively straightforward fashion, Potter’s men did not disappoint. Just a few times during the second half, CFC caught itself in the wrong position, but the Blues were able to secure their first clean sheet since October 19 away at Brentford in a scoreless draw.
Despite CFC being six points back of a Champions League spot, Potter and the Blues must be able to take this season game by game. Perhaps a matchup against a side like Bournemouth with the support of their home fans was the best way to kick off a run of fixtures following a unique interruption to the season. Seeing the ball ripple the back of the net was a sight that CFC fans have missed for nearly two months.
Whether it was the break or the team selection, this club looked ready to erase what transpired during the beginning months of the campaign. Getting knocked out of the EFL Cup earlier than the Blues did last season may benefit Potter in focusing on only three competitions heading into the new year. In nine matches at Stamford Bridge this season, Chelsea has lost just once, continuing to make its home turf a difficult place to play for any opposition. In reality, it could have been three or four, and while that has been the story for quite some time, the result was what mattered at the end of the day. From a match that finished with mixed emotions for all Blues fans, here are the takeaways from a much-needed triumph over a stubborn Bournemouth side: