The fight for Chelsea and Bournemouth was evident in this high-tempo Premier League clash. The scoreless affair at the Vitality Stadium resulted in neither side earning a point. The day’s game, played before a spirited crowd in icy conditions, had both sides failing to find the back of the net despite numerous chances. Despite generating significant territory and pressure, Chelsea failed to find the net, marking their first scoreless match since the opening day of the season against Crystal Palace.
Antoine Semenyo opened the scoring very early on, with VAR calling it back for offside. This unfortunate decision presaged a maddening afternoon for players from both clubs. Evanilson, with the chance of the match to score, went awry from point-blank range leaving him with an expected goals stat of 0.85. The inability to take advantage of such opportunities would prove costly as the game wore on with neither side able to find the breakthrough.
Injury Concerns for Chelsea
Chelsea took an equally concerning blow when Liam Delap had to leave the game. He went off in the 30th minute with a shoulder injury. To hold his arm, following the incident, Delap now used his shirt as a makeshift sling, highlighting the extent of his injury. His departure created an absence in Chelsea’s attacking front, which they couldn’t pour enough to fill for all of the game.
It was then finally time for Cole Palmer to make his return to the starting lineup after overcoming injury, with this start coming as his first since September. Sadly for him, he really wasn’t able to have much of an impact and after 57 minutes, he was subbed out. Chelsea found it difficult to get into any kind of flow on the pitch. The attacking players had no chemistry and consistently missed opportunities in the attacking third.
Bournemouth’s Missed Opportunities
Have no doubt that Bournemouth had their own share of bad luck. With Marc Guiu coming on for Joao Pedro, he was unable to change the tenor of the match. In one particular instance, he terribly miscued a shot right on goal, blazing the ball over the net from only six yards out. Alejandro Garnacho was next to come close, the young forward flashing a header against the post to once again leave Bournemouth fans at home overwhelmed with frustration.
Despite the lack of goals, Djordje Petrovic made an impressive save against Pedro Neto’s low drive at the near post. Bournemouth’s run without a win in the Premier League is now up to six matches. This continuing battle has led to the serious question of whether they are up to the task.
As of this writing, Chelsea sits atop the Premier League table. They have been overtaken by Manchester City and Aston Villa, both of whom are above them. Failing to pick up all three points against Bournemouth could have dire consequences for their top-four hopes this season.
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