14 January 2025
Chelsea 2 Bournemouth 2
Enzo Maresca’s side welcomed in-form Bournemouth to the capital as they looked to get back to winning ways after a festive slump. They were just about clawing onto fourth spot and the much-needed Champions League qualification the club craves. Andoni Iraola’s team came to Stamford Bridge unbeaten in their last eight Premier League matches.
Chelsea started in positive fashion and put the visitors under pressure from the off. Sancho was causing problems down the left flank, weaving his way past The Cherries’ defence. As he got to the byline, he cut the ball back to Palmer. He tried a deft chip towards the back post but it was always curling away from the target. Travers was beaten by his quick-thinking.
Jackson then won the ball back on the halfway line and burst through three Bournemouth players as he strode forward. The forward spotted the run of Palmer in behind the defence and threaded it into his path. In true ‘Cold-Palmer’ style, he dummied a shot to sit the keeper down before rolling it past him and into the back of the net.
It was a sublime finish by The Blues’ talisman, he has proved to be some signing for the West London outfit. Chelsea’s gain is Man City’s loss and you have to wonder, given their current plight, why Pep Guardiola did not see fit to keep the impressive talent at The Etihad. Stamford Bridge erupted as they took an early lead against The Cherries.
Todd Boehly’s side were one of the fan favourites to get named in the New Year’s PSR honours list but it seems their plan worked swimmingly. Giving players contracts that last longer than the paper they are written on appears to allow them to get away with their mad spending sprees. Fortunately for the rest of the league, it takes them fifteen signings to find one Cole Palmer.
Fernandez was finding a lot of space in between the lines and made a beeline towards goal. As he got to the edge of the box, he got a shot off that seemed to be heading into the bottom corner. Travers got down well to tip it around the post at the expense of a corner. The Argentine midfielder was close to doubling the lead for The Blues.
Madueke did brilliantly out wide to beat his two markers. He drove into the box and got to the byline before cutting it back to an unmarked Jackson at the near post. Somehow, he thrashed his effort high over the crossbar when a goal seemed certain. The striker started the season well but seems to be back to his usual form that sees him shoot like a toddler with a Smith and Wesson Model 500.
Sanchez then gifted the ball to Bournemouth with a loose pass but as the ball was crossed into the middle, it evaded everyone. The Cherries recycled it well, as it was squared it Kluivert in the box, he got a first-time shot away only to see it come back off the woodwork. Chelsea countered with Jackson immediately, he charged towards the penalty area before getting a well-struck shot off that came crashing back off the post.
Palmer then swung a curling ball into the back post from out wide. He picked out Jackson but his header was well saved by Travers. The striker than lashed the rebound into the side netting, looking like a man devoid of any confidence whatsoever. The Blues may need to turn to the transfer window if they want a clinical finisher up top for the remainder of the season.
After the interval, Kluivert made some positive strides towards the penalty area, before laying it into the path of Semenyo. He was bundled over by Caicedo and the referee immediately pointed to the spot. Not even a VAR review was going to save Enzo Maresca’s side. All their hard work from before the break was undone in one poorly-timed challenge.
Kluivert stepped up to take it and sent Sanchez the wrong way as he thundered his spot-kick into the back of the net. Stamford Bridge fell silent as the away enclosure erupted. The hosts continued to press to try and restore their lead. Jackson tried his luck with a shot from the edge of the box but what should have been a simple save, almost squirmed in under Travers, narrowly missing the far post.
Brooks was lucky to still be on the pitch after catching an opponent with an arm in the face. The referee waved it away and a VAR review sent him to the monitor. This only tends to mean one thing but, on this occasion, the official stuck to his guns and just showed him a yellow card. Moments later he had a sight of goal but Sanchez blocked his shot at the near post.
Christie then fed the ball into the path of Semenyo. He weaved his way into the box and fired off a ferocious shot that beat Sanchez at his near post to give The Cherries an unexpected lead. Chelsea seem to have no backbone at the moment and their opponents were taking full advantage of it. Iraola’s side had a lead to protect now.
Jebbison received the ball in the box late on in the game and unselfishly laid it off into the path of Kluivert. He checked onto his left foot before looking to drill a shot into the bottom corner. Fortunately for The Blues, it took a deflection off a defender and ricocheted harmlessly wide of the goal. The hosts were still in this game.
The Cherries gave away a free-kick in a dangerous area, deep into added time. As players stood over it, everyone bar two people in the ground expected to see Palmer strike it. Instead, James stepped up and curled an effort around the wall and into the bottom corner of the goal. Maresca’s side had salvaged a point to break the hearts of the travelling Bournemouth faithful.
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