Chelsea were at their menacing best in a 4-1 triumph over Bournemouth at Dean Court last night.
There was to be no repeat of the Cherries’ fairytale victory over the reigning Premier League champions back in December, with Guus Hiddink’s men turning in the type of dominant performance that has become all too rare from the Londoners this campaign.
A back-and-forth start to the contest saw a razor sharp counter from the visitors end with Pedro finishing around Artur Boruc in the fifth minute, just moments after Asmir Begovic had to cut out a Bournemouth cross at the other end.
Eden Hazard’s first league goal of the season after a Cesc Fabregas back-heel gave Chelsea a two goal buffer in the 36th, yet Tommy Elphick’s header seemed to set the stage for a competitive second-half.
The Blues were far more dominant after the break, however, falling into a comfortable rhythm of possession that saw Bournemouth largely chasing the ball around the field. Willian’s classy chip of the goalkeeper put the result beyond doubt, while Hazard iced the cake with a typical Chelsea tap-in in the closing stages.
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The Spanish wizard in full effect
Although little material reward will be gained from the result, it was still a performance where Chelsea displayed the vast array of talent which cruised to the 2014-15 title. A major factor in both that success and this dominant win was Barcelona import Fabregas, who steals the show every time he is at his best.
Playing with a level of accuracy and creativity that is hard to match in the Premier League, the 28-year-old provided assists for Pedro, Hazard and Willian’s goals, each displaying a different aspect of near-perfect distribution.
Perhaps having to stand up for some recent comments made about Chelsea’s disappointing season, highlight-reel performances like this will be necessary for Fabregas to prove he will be valuable when Antonio Conte arrives to Stamford Bridge.
Outclassed Cherries can move on quickly
Having already beaten the Blues this season, and on the road no less, there was no reason for Bournemouth to approach this fixture with any caution. While the visiting attack were capitalising on any mistake, there were still clear nerves at the back, which the Cherries came close to exploiting many times in the first-half.
No matter what their current standing, a visit from Chelsea is always going to be a tough task for a promoted team, yet Eddie Howe can take solace in the fact that more than enough has been done to insure the team against the giants of the competition at these late season junctures.
Hazard will not end 2015-16 goalless
In a team full of star names which have failed to produce, Hazard may have been the most underwhelming player for Chelsea in this forgettable season. The PFA Player of the Year (if only for the next few weeks) had yet to score a goal until his outing at Dean Court, but ensured that his individual 2015-16 would not end in utter misery with a brace against the Cherries. Receiving a wonderful back-heel from Fabregas in the final-third, a rocketing strike along the ground nestled inside the near-post for the visitors’ second goal just after the half-hour, while the Belgian ended the match on the highest of notes after Nemanja Matic drove to the touch line and squared the ball across the face of goal to ease home.
With speculation continually growing of his exit from London, at least Hazard spared himself and the club some blushes by finally getting off the mark.
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