Playing under the floodlights at the Vitality stadium with an electric atmosphere after a grueling international break that saw many Chelsea players away on travels to distant locations is not the ideal situation for any coach.
However, Enzo Maresca had no choice despite being short-handed in the middle of the park due to the illness of both Dewsbury Hall and Enzo Fernandez, two of his midfield options.
Considering the tough circumstances and level of opponent, a draw would have been considered a fair result but Nkunku thought otherwise after coming on as a substitute to score an 86th-minute winner.
From one substitute to another now as we take a brief look at Jadon Sancho’s debut.
Signed on loan from United for the duration of the season with a £25 million obligation fee to make the deal permanent, Jadon Sancho has begun the mission to revive his Premier League career.
Many rival fans on social media were watching Sancho to “hate” and hope he started another game towards the “007 meme” (0 goals, 0 assists, 7 games).
But, a 45th-minute substitute in place of Pedro Neto, Sancho took up his favored position on the left of the attack as Maresca sought to gain some control over a feistily-contested affair on the South coast.
Utilising a 3-3-4/3-2-2-1 system when in possession (depending on the positioning of the ball), Cucurella was often Sancho’s closest ally, just inside the left half-space/channel of the Bournemouth mid-block and the interchange between both players caused Bournemouth all sorts of problems.
This tactic pushed Iriaola’s hands as he brought on Julian Araujo to try to stop Chelsea from getting joy down Bournemouth’s left.
However, that change barely made any effect as Sancho kept drawing out Araujo, leaving space for other players to drive into and the ability of the former United man to pick a defence-splitting pass is one of his devastating strengths.
The 24-year old used his strengths to his huge advantage as he created the most chances in the game with (2, including the goal) despite only playing one half.
The last season’s champions league finalist with Dortmund also completed 2/4 of his dribbles while recovering the ball 4 times in his quest to find his long-lost form.
Of all the options presently available to Enzo Maresca, Sancho seems most suited to the left wing and with Mudryk failing to improve and live up to expectations and Neto looking better off the right, it could be his.
Sancho’s assist for Nkunku is his first in Chelsea’s colours and there’s optimism that there would be many more to come as he promised in his unveiling interview; “… I hope to help the team with goals and assists…”
Back to London, and now time to forget the nightmare at Manchester United, a new dream has been formed.
