We take a look at some moments you may have missed from Chelsea drawing 0-0 with AFC Bournemouth in a frustrating afternoon for the Blues down on a bleak south coast
Thiago Silva and Enzo Fernandez before Bournemouth vs Chelsea (Image: Chris Lee – Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
Chelsea were once again left frustrated in the Premier League as they were held to a goalless draw with AFC Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium. Despite having plenty of chances, once again, the Blues could not find a way into the back of the net.
The first half was one of a couple of really good opportunities for the visitors down on the wet south coast. Nicolas Jackson’s shot from outside the box clipped the outside of the post, while Conor Gallagher perhaps should have done better with an effort from close range but was denied by Cherries goalkeeper Neto.
Early into second-half, Raheem Sterling hit the crossbar from a free-kick and Levi Colwill turned the rebound home. The assistant referee, however, had his flag up immediately with Colwill just beyond the last Bournemouth defender and the goal was ruled out.
Despite pushing and pushing for that elusive goal, Chelsea could not find a way through. It was very much more of the same in the first game back after the international break. With that said, football.london takes a close look at some moments you may have missed from the match at the Vitality Stadium.
Pochettino makes wise decision
Before the game started, the weather was an absolute shambles. The word ‘torrential’ to describe the rain might do it an injustice.
So when Mauricio Pochettino came out about 1:15pm – 45 minutes before kick-off – to potentially come on the pitch, he had a big decision to make: does he walk out or not? Quite wisely, perhaps, the Argentine looked at the conditions, shook his head and turned back down the tunnel, deciding to stay inside for as long as he could.
Thankfully for Pochettino – and everyone else who had made the trip to the Vitality Stadium – the rain eased somewhat by the time the game kicked off. The pitch, though, remained wet throughout the game, but fortunately none of the water got caught in the pitch and it was actually a lovely surface to play on.
Silva furious with teammates
A few minutes before the half-time whistle, Thiago Silva was in possession at the back after Robert Sanchez laid it off to him from a quick free-kick. However, there was a severe lack of options for Silva when he looked forward.
The likes of Levi Colwill, Mykhailo Mudryk and Enzo Fernandez, who were all playing on the left side with Silva, were all too advanced and a pass wasn’t really on. Silva recognised this and could be heard shouting, ‘come on’, at his teammates, who all listened to the Brazilian.
When Thiago shouts, you listen. And, to be fair, he absolutely had a point. Too many times in the first-half in particular Chelsea had the ball at the back but the midfield was too disconnected to the defenders.
Gallagher shouts at Enzo
When Enzo was subbed off on about 80 minutes, the Argentine midfielder did not look in any rush to leave the pitch despite the game being level at 0-0. Conor Gallagher, the captain for the day, then told his midfield partner to hurry up essentially in a very loud manner.
It was bizarre and you could see some Chelsea fans in the away end venting their frustration, too. Chelsea were the team needing the three points more than Bournemouth.
Soucre: football.london
