Chelsea steam-rolled a tame Bournemouth side at Stamford Bridge to win 3-0 in their Boxing Day fixture and managed to maintain their lead at the top of the Premier League. Blues manager Antonio Conte was forced to ring in some changes to the lineup with the Premier League top scorer Diego Costa suspended after the booking he picked up in their last game against Crystal Palace, while summer signing N’Golo Kante was unavailable through suspension as well.
Conte opted for a front three of Pedro, Willian and Eden Hazard, the latter who played as a false nine and lead the line at the Bridge.
The Blues preferred to play in a counter-attacking style against the minnows conceding more possession to them and showcased some slick passing and lethal finishing to put 3 past the Bournemouth defence. This was Chelsea’s 12th straight win in the league, and the Blues’ defence has not conceded a goal in 5 hours and 93 minutes after this game.
Here are the player ratings of Chelsea’s comfortable win.
Chelsea
Thibaut Courtois – 7.5/10
The Belgian made two huge saves to help his side keep a clean sheet. He was tested by Wilshere in the 27th minute and came up with a top save to deny the Englishman and later in the second half was called into action again when Wilshere slid Afobe in at around the 74th-minute mark. Two 1 v 1s and Courtois came out on top after both of them. He barely had anything to do in the second half and kept his clean sheet.
Marcos Alonso – 6.5/10
Alonso had some good passages of play in the first half and performed his defensive duties satisfactorily. He hacked off a corner aimed towards Steve Cook at the Chelsea far post in the 11th minute and then spurred his side forward as he exchanged passes with Cahill to play in Hazard in the 13th minute.
He was caught out by an Adam Smith pass to King in the 16th minute which led to a chance and he failed to contain Smith all night with the winger providing a number of telling crosses and passes. He faded as the game wore on which is something he needs to look into.
Gary Cahill – 7/10
Another solid game for the Blues skipper in Antonio Conte’s revolution at the Bridge, he was in-charge of handling Joshua King who could not get the better of the England defender all game. Cahill then expertly handled the substitute Afobe as well in the second half. He could not do much when Jack Wilshere cut in to shoot and was bailed out by Courtois. He was involved in a clash of heads with Bournemouth's Francis but both players turned out alright.
Cezar Azpilicueta – 8/10
Azpilicueta continues to prove why is one of the best defenders in the league with another standout performance at the back for Chelsea. He covered the most ground out of all Chelsea’s defenders and was there when required to eradicate the danger as so often is the case.
When Smith broke on the right side of the box and put the ball into the six-yard box for King to score, Azpilicueta came steaming back to intercept and clear the danger for a certain goal. He then blocked Wilshere’s volleyed effort as well preventing a goal and was top notch at the back.
David Luiz – 7/10
The Brazilian’s re-invention under Antonio Conte continued with another good performance. He was a bit troubled by King but came out on top in most duels and even found himself in the opposition six-yard box in as early as the 20th minute, but Pedro chose to shoot instead of crossing to the Brazilian. He read the game well and mopped up when required.
Victor Moses – 7/10
Moses showed how much the defensive side of his game has improved since the start of the season with the player winning duels and working hard up and down the right flank. He even joined up in attack a number of times and could have even got a goal, but his volley in the 59th minute was just inches wide. In the 85th minute, he was caught in two minds whether to shoot or cross and ended up making a hash of a good chance.
Nemanja Matic – 6.5/10
Matic was a bit rusty in the tackle but kept the game flowing with good link up play. In the 32nd minute, he made a very poor headed clearance that fell to Wilshere who shot at the Chelsea goal, and then almost conceded a penalty as he got in the way of Adam Smith but the referee decided against pointing to the spot.
Cesc Fabregas – 7/10
Fabregas didn’t have his best game in a Chelsea shirt, but he did start several attacks. The Spaniard was never the quickest and he seems to have clearly lost some pace this season. He does however, make it up with his positioning and passing. He took a quick free-kick that set Pedro free in the 5th minute and continued to spray passes all around and link up play with the forward line well.
He got an assist in the 25th minute after he passed the ball delicately through the Bournemouth back line to Pedro who scored. He also went close with a free-kick.
Willian – 7/10
Willian was up and down the right flank and caused quite a few problems for Bournemouth, he was eclipsed by his fellow attackers in Chelsea’s front line but his driving runs were useful to create space. He had no notable chances on goal though.
Pedro – 8.5/10
A brilliant performance from the Spaniard who scored two goals in the game to secure the three points for the Blues on Boxing Day. He was lively right from the get go and his link-up play with Eden Hazard was fantastic. Things looked ominous when he was put through by Fabregas early on but he could not get to the ball, he tried to bend one in at the 21st minute mark and then in the 25th minute he somehow dug the ball out of his feet to chip a curled effort past Artur Boruc after Fabregas played him in. He had a few other chances as well but capped things off in the 91st minute after his shot took a wicked deflection off two Bournemouth defenders into the net.
Eden Hazard – 9/10
Chelsea’s standout player on the night, Eden Hazard has forgotten his woeful last season and is back to his best. He was asked to lead the Chelsea line as a false nine against Bournemouth and did so efficiently and superbly. He was involved in everything going forward for Chelsea and what was particularly notable was his hold up play, one-touch flicks and dribbling when the ball was played into him.
In the 14th minute, he dribbled past two opposition players and shot from 25 yards out but could not get enough power on his shot. He began the move that led to Pedro’s opener and then in the second half he won a penalty and then proceeded to score past Boruc. He had some other chances but his shots were off target. A simply stunning performance from the Belgian who was dangerous all night.
Substitutes
Nathaniel Chalobah – 6/10
Came on for 7 minutes for Willian and didn’t contribute much except maintain Chelsea’s shape.
Ola Aina – 5/10
Came on for Victor Moses and like Chalobah helped maintain Chelsea’s shape towards the end of the game.
Michy Batshuhayi – NA
Replaced Eden Hazard and the final whistle blew immediately.
Bournemouth
Artur Boruc – 4.5/10
Boruc had a night to forget but he had absolutely no chance for any of the goals. He gathered up some crosses and made some standard saves but in the end, let in three and was poor.
Simon Francis – 4/10
Francis could not cope with Hazard all night and then conceded a penalty after the Belgian danced around him, and it was quite unnecessary as Hazard was in the by-line. That sealed Bournemouth’s fate making it 2-0.
Steve Cook – 5/10
Cook continues to prove that he is a very underrated player; he won almost everything in the air, but he didn’t have to battle with tall, strong forwards and Chelsea’s forward players were not taller than 5’9”. He did struggle with the trickery of Hazard, Pedro and Willian.
Charlie Daniels – 5/10
Daniels started as the left-centre back in the back three and managed to keep Willian from scoring but could not stop his driving runs and crosses into the box.
Brad Smith – 4.5/10
Smith played left winger/wing-back and did his best to contain Willian and stifle Victor Moses and again didn’t let them score but perhaps he could have been harder in the tackle and tighter on his men.
Andrew Surman – 5/10
Surman was deployed as a deep-lying playmaker in Bournemouth’s midfield, showed some good touches and flashes of skill to work the ball out of the middle but in the end could not do much to match Chelsea’s quality. This match was his return after 2-months out with a hamstring injury.
Dan Gosling – 5/10
Gosling made some interceptions and tried to assert himself on the game but couldn’t do so tellingly, he was often easily dribbled past by Hazard when the Belgian dropped deeper. He also tried to then muster something going forward but couldn’t really do much.
Adam Smith – 6/10
Adam Smith was perhaps Bournemouth’s best source of attacks on Bournemouth’s right flank as he started a number of moves for the visitors. He released King early on but Azpilicueta removed the danger, he then played in Wilshere for his dribbled effort that Courtois saved in the 26th minute. He was involved in most of the good that Bournemouth did going forward.
Harry Arter – 5.5/10
Arter got himself free most of the time but did nothing significant of it. He had a late effort on goal as well and was just a bit-part player in his team’s attacks.
Jack Wilshere – 6/10
Jack Wilshere was at his deceptively average best yet again and further highlighted how far he is from reaching the levels of players he was once touted to reach. He did produce Bournemouth’s best chances of the game, dribbling into the box forcing Courtois to make a save in the 27th minute, then volleying an effort after Matic headed the ball to him but Azpilicueta got in the way of that one.
He played a delightful pass to Afobe which the Chelsea goalkeeper kept out as well.
Joshua King – 4.5/10
King kept quiet by Chelsea’s back three although he was isolated by his team-mates being the lone striker. He did force Azpilicueta into a last-ditch clearance and then went about holding up the ball and bringing team-mates into play satisfactorily.
Substitutes
Junior Stanislas – 5/10
Stanislas came on for Andrew Surman but did not contribute anything relevant.
Benik Afobe – 5/10
Afobe was substituted on for Joshua King and should have scored against Courtois.
Jordan Ibe – 4/10
The former Liverpool man did not contribute in the game after coming on late in the game..
