Highlights
Eden on up
Bournemouth 0 Chelsea 1: Eden Hazard scores winner for Antonio Conte’s men as Blues crush Cherries
Belgian pounced to score the only goal of the game in the second half with home side failing to threaten the champs
EDEN HAZARD should be the next Chelsea player down the hairdresser having his bonce dyed blue.
His team-mate Tiemoue Bakayoko did the same in recognition of scoring his first Premier League goal two weeks ago.
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Last night Hazard got his first in the league this season to help dig the champions out of a hole as they struggled to find a way past stubborn Bournemouth.
It’s been a dry start to the campaign for the brilliant little Belgian who notched up 16 Premier League goals last season – only four less than striker Diego Costa, who has since been sold.
That shows how important Hazard’s contribution is as a goal getter as well as a goal maker to the club and in particular boss Antonio Conte right now.
For Hazard’s 51st minute strike which was despatched with impressive venom from his tiny boots, keeps Chelsea in the chasing pack behind league leaders Manchester City.
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It also keeps the points rolling in when Chelsea are performing way below their best as this performance underlines.
Conte just loves talking about ‘hard work’ when questioned about his demanding methods and relentless will to win.
Chelsea certainly made heavier weather of this match than they would have done if they were firing on all cylinders.
They had 16 shots to Bournemouth’s six – yet only Hazard’s clinical goal stood between the two teams at the final whistle.
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The visitors also had twice as much possession than the home team yet Conte will have headed back to London from the South Coast a relieved rather than a deliriously happy man.
This is the third win in a week, three from three games, but still there seems a spark missing in this Chelsea team and it can’t all be down to injuries and the burden of a heavy fixture list.
Manchester City have played the same amount of games but sit nine points clear at the top of the table and look like a team which can play all night. That is the difference confidence gives to players and it is easy to spot when it is absent.
Sure they had chances and Begovic played a blinder in goal for The Cherries but Chelsea should be knocking them in in quick succession with the firepower at hand to Conte.
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Morata has been struggling to find the target but was denied by Begovic’s superb one-handed save in the 34th minute when he carved out space in the box but left it a fraction of a second too late to pull the trigger on his shot.
That gave Begovic just enough time to rush off his line and spread his giant frame to palm the ball clear in a remarkable piece of goalkeeping.
Morata had been beaten to the punch by Begovic earlier in the first half when fed the ball at the near post by Hazard.
The Spaniard, who smashed home six goals last month has not scored throughout October. But least he is digging in and doing the dirty work and it was just that which brought about the decisive shot from Hazard.
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Morata was way back in the centre circle surrounded by three Bournemouth players when he muscled his way clear and lofted a ball diagonally to Hazard on the run down the left.
Defender Simon Francis missed the attempt at a clearance with his outstretched leg and Hazard latched onto the opportunity.
Without breaking stride he blasted home a shot which beat Begovic at his near post undoing the former Chelsea keeper’s heroics from the first half.
It was enough – just – to keep Chelsea chugging along but they rode their luck at times.
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Bournemouth sub Jordon Ibe had a ferocious, rising shot deflected over by the thickness of Antonio Rudiger’s shinpad. That was his team’s first on target all match and it came nine minutes into the second half.
Defender Steve Cook also should have picked his target better when presented with a chance in the dying seconds, only to aim the ball straight at 6ft 5in Thibaut Courtois.
The second half was a massive improvement offensively for Bournemouth but they paid the price by leaving tine tiniest of gaps at the back for Hazard to squeeze through and deal the killer blow.
Hazard should have made it 2-0 but surprisingly shot over the bar from 12 yards when he met a low cross from Pedro - hair-raising stuff.
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