Chelsea’s Premier League trip to the south coast ended in a goalless draw against Bournemouth on Saturday, leaving both sides with more questions than answers as the season enters its crucial phase.
The match was marked by injury concerns for both teams. Bournemouth’s Liam Delap was forced off after appearing to dislocate his shoulder in a tussle with Marcos Senesi during a corner, with Marc Guiu replacing him. Senesi also left the pitch in the second half after overstretching while challenging for the ball.
Bournemouth came close to breaking the deadlock when Antoine Semenyo finished from close range after Evanilson’s initial effort was blocked, but the goal was ruled out by VAR due to Evanilson being marginally offside in the build-up. Despite the setback, Semenyo remained a bright spark for the home side, testing Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez with a long-range strike and almost creating a chance for Evanilson.
Chelsea gradually improved after the break, with Alejandro Garnacho unlucky when his header clipped the post. The Blues launched several long-range efforts, but former Chelsea goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic was rarely troubled, keeping the match scoreless.
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The stalemate extends Bournemouth’s winless run to six Premier League games, while Chelsea have now gone three matches without a victory, raising doubts about their title ambitions.
Chelsea manager emphasized the need to address finishing and defensive lapses, while Bournemouth will take some encouragement from their resilience against a side competing at the top of the table.
Both teams now turn attention to upcoming fixtures, with Chelsea looking to regain momentum in their pursuit of the Premier League crown and Bournemouth aiming to climb out of the lower half of the table.
The goalless draw highlights Chelsea’s current struggle to convert possession into decisive attacking opportunities, while Bournemouth’s defensive solidity ensured they avoided defeat despite limited offensive threats.
