Chelsea still lack killer instincts despite Bournemouth win

• Chelsea have been having trouble with matches the whole of this season in all competitions
• The Blues played their first match after the FIFA World Cup break on Tuesday, Dec 27
• Despite defeating Bournemouth 2-0, Chelsea still looked less dangerous upfront 

This season, Chelsea has been among the Premier League’s top underachievers; as such, they do not merit the title of “world champions,” which they nevertheless hold informally.

The Blues appeared stale in the latter weeks of Thomas Tuchel’s reign. Despite enjoying Graham Potter’s new manager’s vigour, they rapidly returned to their 2022 type – a sickly group that looked sick to their stomachs of one another.

Their large roster was perceived prior to the World Cup break as a peculiar fusion of Todd Boehly’s first summer’s scattergun strategy and Roman Abramovich’s win-now philosophy. The expectation was that a reconfigured recruitment team would guide a reconstruction going forward and that this season would be about treading water before a new club was assembled.

Chelsea manager Graham Potter at the touchline on Tuesday December 27 when his side played Bournemouth in the Premier League. | PHOTO: Team Talk |

On Chelsea’s return to Premier League action on Tuesday though, they showed real signs of life and gave fans optimism that they are still contenders in the top-four race.

Goals from Kai Havertz and Mason Mount saw the Blues go into half-time with their biggest lead all year. From the off, the hosts showed both a capability and desire to play through Bournemouth like they were slicing butter.

Potter’s sides usually change formations throughout matches fluidly and require players to be versatile, but this was a more rigid system which instead empowered individuals in these more-defined roles. Raheem Sterling and Reece James dominated the right flank in willing tandem, Denis Zakaria’s stay-and-go midfield partnership worked perfectly, and the aforementioned Mount and Havertz complimented each other superbly.

The hiring of Potter was an indication that the board wanted a long-term strategy, a sustainable style of play to match off-field inventiveness, even if Chelsea are a side known for winning at any costs rather than playing with spontaneity.

Reece James and Raheem Sterling played well on Tuesday against Bournemouth despite the fact Reece was subbed off due to an injury. | PHOTO: Sky Sport |

The transition from Frank Lampard to Tuchel very unmistakably demonstrated that players at this level are not uncoachable, but rather are being miscoached or placed in the incorrect circumstances. Chelsea’s current group needs surgery, but it’s not an insurmountable problem.

The fact that they didn’t finish the game off on Tuesday despite a promising start that allowed Bournemouth to rally was actually their biggest mistake.

They were a touch lucky that the Cherries only gained territory in the middle of the field because Chelsea appeared to have managed to contain them due to their poor offensive abilities. This wasn’t quite the case, with the closing 20 or so minutes in Stamford Bridge feeling a little uneasy.

But if Chelsea’s opening hour or so of play is representative of how they intend to play the remainder of the season — with a successful blend of directness and control, pace and possession — then they might be able to escape with something of value.