It wasn’t a pretty performance, but Chelsea emerged victorious, edging Bournemouth on the south coast of England. Despite the hosts looking likelier to score, the Blues capitalized on moments of luck and individual brilliance to seal the win. Christopher Nkunku came off the bench to score the winner late in the second half. Early in the first half Robert Sanchez saved an Evanilson penalty kick.
Here are the positives and negatives from the match:
Positives
A Win and a Clean Sheet
This was Chelsea's first away league clean sheet in 17 games and their first of the season. It didn’t seem likely from the outset. Still, some excellent saves from Robert Sanchez, coupled with standout defending—particularly from Levi Colwill—made it possible. The win lifted Chelsea to 7th in the table by Saturday evening, and it also marked Sanchez’s first clean sheet in almost a year. Enzo Maresca and his squad will look to build on this as they aim to climb further up the table.
1. Robert Sanchez’s Goalkeeping
Fans have questioned Enzo Maresca’s decision to trust Robert Sanchez as the team’s No. 1 goalkeeper, especially given his inconsistent performances since last season. However, on Saturday, Sanchez showcased his shot-stopping abilities with several key saves, including the penalty. While his long-range passing still needs improvement, if he can maintain the level of goalkeeping displayed at the Vitality Stadium and refine his distribution, fans will have fewer complaints.
2. Levi Colwill’s Solid Display
The young Englishman continues to grow in confidence now that he’s back playing in his preferred center-back role. Against Bournemouth, Colwill was exceptional, making crucial blocks and tackles, and showing his vision by finding players further up the pitch with pinpoint passes.