Antonio Conte fidgeted his way anxiously through the latter stages here, the Italian a picture of agitation on the touchline as Bournemouth mustered everything they had to discomfort the champions. Yet, by the end, the sense lingered that Chelsea’s domestic campaign is returning to an even keel. Their margin for error has gone, of course, and the summit remains distant, but successive league wins have at least lanced the tension.
This finished feeling like a hard-fought victory though, in truth, the visitors should really have eased themselves clear during a one-sided opening period. Given their dominance at that stage, it seemed rather ludicrous that Eden Hazard’s shot, belted inside Asmir Begovic’s near-post six minutes into the second half, was ultimately all they had to show for some of their more vibrant attacking play of the campaign to date. The head coach acknowledged as much in the aftermath, urging his players to be more clinical in killing off games of this nature.
Yet, in the context of a dip in performance levels either side of the last international window and with references still coming to the untimely injuries which have blunted his team, Conte finished satisfied. He has spent the last week on a restoration exercise. His squad needed to be reminded of their qualities, with confidence rebuilt and both conviction and momentum returned to their campaign. “This was a deserved win, a good win for our confidence and a good win before another tough game against Roma in the Champions League,” said the Italian. “Honestly, last season we won 3-1 here but today we played better. We controlled the game. Last season we conceded more chances and, in one part of the game, we were lucky. So I saw a lot of positives tonight.”
Principal among them was Hazard’s display. The Belgian tends to thrive on visits to this arena, revelling in the space afforded him by Eddie Howe’s side, with this no exception. He would prove to be the match-winner, ramming that shot beyond Begovic, though the Bosnian, a team-mate and title winner last term, betrayed his own disappointment at his attempt to block with the subsequent slump of his shoulders.
Howe pointed out that others were just as culpable with the winner having stemmed from a Bournemouth goal-kick but, in truth, Hazard was always likely to sear his name on this occasion. He was the outstanding performer, a constant menace with the ball glued to his instep, and a provider of opportunities for Álvaro Morata and David Luiz which should have yielded further rewards.
Chelsea will travel to Italy on Monday relieved to have their Belgian back to his best, for all that Roma will be more awkward opponents in midweek. They will certainly not afford Hazard as much time on the ball. Indeed, Howe bemoaned how “passive” his team had been through that one-sided opening period, when Morata had a goal wrongly ruled out for offside, and cited the fact the contest remained goalless at the break as a sole positive. Yet, even with Jermain Defoe withdrawn and their system rejigged thereafter, it was only at the death that they hinted at conjuring an equaliser. And even then, Steve Cook’s shot, curled straight at a grateful Thibaut Courtois, was their most presentable opening for all that César Azpilicueta and David Luiz were forced to fling themselves into blocks to deny Benik Afobe and Callum Wilson.
Opponents have been exploiting the absence of N’Golo Kanté over recent weeks, with Chelsea having shipped eight goals in the four games while the Frenchman has been hamstrung, to suggest this was a missed opportunity. Conte hopes to have the midfielder restored at the Olympic Stadium but will be conscious that Manchester United await next Sunday. “If he’s ready, he plays,” said the head coach. “But everyone knows the importance of the player. I want to be sure he is ready.”
Yet Bournemouth never really threatened to inflict wounds in the way Crystal Palace, Roma, Watford and even Everton had. Some of the zest has drained from their approach this term, with the onus now on their manager to instigate a revival. “We have to work out why we’ve gone from a free-scoring team to a side who struggle to create clear-cut chances,” said Howe. “I have to work it out. I have to find the right formula.”
He has been hampered by injuries, too, and had lost Junior Stanislas and Afobe before the end. November’s games look kinder on paper but this division is notoriously treacherous, as Chelsea have been reminded of late. The champions know only a run as eye-catching as last term’s 13-game winning streak will thrust them back into the title race. Successive victories are a start.
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