Chelsea Player Ratings vs. Bournemouth: Unlikely Hero Shines in Goal Fest

Chelsea got back to winning ways in style on Saturday with an emphatic 5–1 victory over strugglers Bournemouth.

The hot starts returned to Stamford Bridge. Chelsea fans were still celebrating Jordan Henderson’s long-range opener when Morgan Rogers’s deflected effort nestled in the bottom corner to put Chelsea 2–0 ahead after two-and-a-half minutes.

Not content with the speed of their start in the first half, Chelsea were celebrating just 30 seconds after the restart when Pedro Neto’s cutback was rifled into the roof of the net by João Pedro.

Evanilson deflected Moisés Caicedo’s clearance into the back of the net five minutes later as the tone of the match changed drastically, so there was significant relief around Stamford Bridge when Pedro crashed home his second of the afternoon from close range.

The excellent Henderson’s stunning free kick iced the game off with 20 minutes to go, capping off a glorious afternoon for the veteran midfielder and sealing a much-needed victory for the Blues.

One Thing We Can’t Ignore

Moisés Caicedo, Evanilson — Defending continues to be a major problem for Chelsea. | Robin Jones - AFC Bournemouth/Getty Images

Chelsea got their attacking mojo back here. The Blues were sensational, deserved each of their goals and could have had a few more if things had fallen another way.

This team can go toe-to-toe with any attack on the planet, but at the other end of the field, things are not the same.

The frailties that have plagued Chelsea for the past 18 months remain problematic. Defending set pieces is a massive concern and the sight of Evanilson celebrating the death of Emiliano Martínez’s clean sheet from a corner will be a lingering memory from this game.

Since the start of last season, Chelsea have now conceded a total of 14 goals from inside their own six-yard box following set pieces. Unsurprisingly, that is a league-high.

It is not a Xabi Alonso problem, considering how big of an issue this was under Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior as well, but it is the former midfielder’s responsibility to figure out a solution. Until fixed, it will continue to provide any opponent a route back into a match regardless of the circumstances.

The attack is better than it has been in years. Now, it’s the turn of the defense.

Chelsea Player Ratings vs. Bournemouth

Jordan Henderson, Cole Palmer — Jordan Henderson stole the show for Chelsea. | Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC/Getty Images

*Ratings Provided by FotMob*

GK: Emiliano Martínez—7.7: A bystander for the most part before being called into action with an excellent double save in the 35th minute. Could do nothing for Evanilson’s strike.

CB: Josh Acheampong—7.4: Excellent on the ball, with a decisive role in Chelsea’s third goal, but needs to eradicate the defensive concerns that were on show for Evanilson’s goal. Overall, a good showing.

CB: Maxence Lacroix—7.1: Seemed a little off here, but didn’t really do anything wrong. Chelsea need more composure from the senior figure at the heart of their backline.

CB: Levi Colwill—7.1: Like Lacroix, Colwill was objectively fine, but a handful of nervy moments ensured his mixed start to the season continued here. It feels like we’re still waiting for the real Colwill to return from his ACL injury.

RM: Pedro Neto—8.0: Lacked a bit of energy in the first half but quickly made up for that with an impressive assist for the third goal.

CM: Moisés Caicedo—7.4: Made an immediate impact on his return to the squad, with his defensive instincts predictably valuable.

CM: Jordan Henderson—9.2: A really impressive showing. Took his early goal well, got the assist for Rogers, bagged a glorious free kick and led by example with his energy and passion. Such a strong performance.

LM: Pep Chavarría—7.8: Continues to fly under the radar with another quietly strong performance that included an assist for the fourth goal. Just does exactly what you want from him.

AM: Cole Palmer—7.8: Confident. A handful of needless flicks showed a player enjoying himself, which is when Palmer is at his most dangerous. Shook off any fitness concerns with a driving run to set up the opening goal.

AM: Morgan Rogers—8.2: Another top performance from Rogers. Some moments of real individual quality as he constantly drove at Bournemouth’s defense. Some good fortune for his goal but entirely deserved.

ST: João Pedro—8.9: Quieter than he will have wanted to be as he was forced to occupy Bournemouth’s center backs throughout, and yet still ended up with two goals. His importance to this team is so obvious.

SUB: Roméo Lavia (72’ for Caicedo)—6.6

SUB: Marco Palestra (72’ for Pedro)—5.9

SUB: Danny Welbeck (83’ for Neto)—N/A

SUB: Estêvão (83’ for Rogers)—N/A

SUB: Malo Gusto (87’ for Palmer)—N/A

Subs not used: Mike Penders (GK), Jorrel Hato, Wesley Fofana, Geovany Quenda.

What the Ratings Tell Us

Jordan Henderson, Morgan Rogers — Morgan Rogers had a great game. | Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC/Getty Images

Jordan Henderson proved his value to Chelsea here. Many questioned the decision to sign the veteran, but the experience, work rate and quality he added to the Blues’ midfield did all the explaining. Henderson is not just here as a babysitter, he is here to play.
Another summer signing, Pep Chavarría, made a strong case for a place as a regular starter. He’s been subtly brilliant all season but stood out with a relentless performance down the left that ended with a smart assist.
Chelsea’s forward trio figured themselves out here. Cole Palmer was lively, Morgan Rogers flexed his quality and João Pedro walked away with two more goals. Perfection.

The Numbers That Explain Chelsea’s Glamorous Victory

After some concerning numbers to start the season, Chelsea have now managed at least 50% possession in their last three Premier League matches. This was, however, the first time that has led to victory.
While there are no questions about the result here, Chelsea actually managed a lower xG (1.08) than Bournemouth (1.46).
Bournemouth stopper Đorđe Petrović, formerly of Chelsea, managed just one save on a bruising return to Stamford Bridge.

Statistic	Chelsea	Bournemouth
Possession	50%	50%
Total Shots	10	9
Shots on Target	6	4
Big Chances	2	3
Pass Accuracy	84%	84%
Fouls	7	15
Corners	1	7

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