The game against Bournemouth was all about missing chances which is unfortunately nothing new for the Blues. Here’s the Good, The Bad and the Ugly from the Chelsea - Bournemouth game.
The Good
Reece James saves the day and is back and fit (for now) providing a much-needed boost with his crucial freekick equalizer in the final minutes of the game, offering some well deserved relief to the fans.
The defender had made an appearance in the FA cup game against Morecambe on Friday before making his return to the Premier League.
The squad has also certainly shown they have a strong group of players capable of creating chances, as demonstrated by Enzo Fernandez, Cole Palmer, and Nicolas Jackson. But of course the downside to that is them not being able to convert these chances.
"‘It was probably one of our best first halves of the season. "Maresca says via Chelsea
The Bad
Despite a dominant start and what seemed like a secured win after Cole Palmer's first-half goal, it’s no surprise that the London side continues to waste opportunities in most games. After scoring the opening goal, it’s almost expected that Chelsea should secure a second as a safety net, given their tendency to let opponents catch up and create unnecessary panic.
Bournemouth’s first goal came from a penalty, and it didn’t take long for the Cherries to secure their second. Chelsea consistently makes it difficult for themselves to secure comfortable wins, which is disappointing considering their strong form up until December.
The Ugly
Although the team and fans have insisted they aren’t aiming for the title, the London side has failed to win in the last five games and moving forward, they cannot afford to keep dropping points if they hope to stay within the top four. This has to be a non negotiable and with the club also being busy this time of the year with the transfer window being open again, we could only hope that Maresca can bring back the results we once (a month ago) celebrated.