Kai Havertz and Mason Mount ensured Chelsea claimed all three points against Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge. The attacking duo were both on the scoresheet as the Blues won their first game following the World Cup break. A concerning injury to Reece James was the only damper on a positive performance.
Kepa Arrizabalaga- 7/10
A comfortable welcome back to the starting line-up for Kepa. The Spaniard looked like the coolest man in the stadium, even when dealing with difficult back passes. A few solid saves helped cap off a good performance.
Reece James- 7/10
A potentially devastating blow for Reece James and Chelsea for the second time this season. The fullback was forced off the field after only 50 minutes with what seemed to be another injury to his knee. A huge loss for the Blues, who always look like a more threatening side with the 23-year-old on the pitch.
Thiago Silva- 7/10
When Thiago Silva plays back passes to Kepa with players bearing down on goal, only he knows whether he is a genius or just lucky, but all the passes paid off today. Silva helped control a strong defensive performance that ensured the Blues kept their first clean sheet since mid-October.
Kalidou Koulibaly- 6/10
Partnering Silva at centre-back, Koulibaly certainly played his part in defence. Coming straight into the starting side after helping Senegal reach the World Cup knockout stages, the 31-year-old made two tackles and three interceptions.
Marc Cucurella- 7/10
A positive display from Cucurella, who has not had too many of those in a Chelsea shirt before. Defensively he made a vital early block to deny a Bournemouth attack, and the Spaniard even looked dangerous going forward. He could have had an assist when his perfect cross found Havertz unmarked in the box, but the German headed over.
Jorginho- 7/10
Vintage Jorginho in the first 45 minutes. The Italian completely dictated the game, spraying passes from left to right and was involved in the build-up of Havertz’s goal. As Chelsea became less dominant, so did Jorginho, but he played his part in helping the Blues keep their clean sheet.
Denis Zakaria- 6.5/10
A rare start for the Swiss midfielder, but he repaid Potter’s decision to start him with a solid defensive performance. Zakaria made two successful tackles and three clearances to help preserve Chelsea’s clean sheet before his substitution.
Mason Mount- 8/10
If Mount can replicate his performance from today in future games, Chelsea are in good hands. The English midfielder produced a mesmerising display, playing a good pass to Sterling for Chelsea’s opener, before expertly finding the bottom corner from outside the box to double Chelsea’s advantage. Mount looked lively and could have been involved in more goals but for some good goalkeeping.
Raheem Sterling- 8/10
A great return for Sterling after the World Cup. His perfect cross found Havertz to help Chelsea open the scoring, and the winger looked a constant threat going forward. He could have had a goal if not for a good save that denied his top-corner bound shot.
Kai Havertz- 8/10
A perfect return for Havertz after Germany’s disappointing World Cup campaign. The attacker slid in to open the scoring for the Blues, before playing a simple pass to Mount to make it 2-0. Havertz looked lively going forward, taking the joint highest number of shots for Chelsea with three in total.
Christian Pulisic- 7/10
Pulisic is well within his rights to feel let down by a poor refereeing display. The American should have been awarded a penalty after being dragged down by his shirt inside the box. Even more bizarrely, the referee blew his whistle for a non-foul seconds before Pulisic tucked the ball into the back of the net. Despite that, still a strong performance from the winger who displayed some very good dribbling in the first half.
Subs :
César Azpilicueta- 5/10
Coming on for the injured Reece James, Azpilicueta struggled to replicate the attacking threat of the Englishman. It’s difficult to blame the Chelsea legend for not matching James’ forward output, but the difference on the pitch is clear. Defensively, Azpilicueta played his part in maintaining a clean sheet.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang- N/A
Connor Gallagher- N/A
Trevoh Chalobah- N/A
Graham Potter- 7/10
50 minutes of brilliance, followed by 40 minutes of concern. Potter will be over the moon with how fluid his side looked going forward after the World Cup break. After the injury to Reece James, however, Chelsea looked flat and were second best to Bournemouth. If James is out for a considerable amount of time, Potter must find a way to adapt his side quickly.
Twitter- @Kieranroy1
