Chelsea-Bournemouth is a match valid for the 17th day of the Premier League and is played on Tuesday at 18:30: predictions, TV, streaming.
The Premier League biggie most in trouble with two days to go is surely Chelsea. Graham Potter, in charge since last September in place of the exonerated Tuchel, was in all likelihood looking forward to the autumn World Cup break more than any other coach in the English top flight.
The Londoners ended the first part of the season with three defeats in a row (Brighton, Arsenal and Newcastle), which become four if we also consider the one suffered in the third round of the League Cup against Manchester City. A negative series interrupted only by the success against Dinamo Zagreb on the last day of the Champions League group stage, which came after qualification had already been acquired. A crisis that is difficult to explain, especially if we take into account that the adventure of the former Brighton coach on the Blues’ bench had begun in an entirely positive way, with a series of nine consecutive useful results among the various competitions. Some fans are already grumbling and the English coach will have to start again with a different attitude if he does not want to risk being too far behind in the fight for the top four places, Chelsea’s minimum objective.
Chelsea’s barren attack
The league table says the Blues are currently eighth, eight points behind fourth-placed Tottenham (who have one more game, though). On the negative side, a goalscoring average well below what should be the standard for a team aiming to win the title is surprising: Chelsea have barely scored 17 goals in 14 games.
O’Neil, Bournemouth coach
Victory is therefore a must against newly-promoted Bournemouth, who – despite predictions on the eve of the match that they were almost a goner – are currently fourteenth and have a three-point margin over third-last. The Cherries lost 1-0 to Newcastle last week and were eliminated from the League Cup, but in the last round of the Premier League they had thrashed Everton 3-0, reacting magnificently after four defeats in a row to Southampton, West Ham, Tottenham and Leeds.
The Prediction
Last November was a Chelsea in freefall. A reaction will have to come against a not irresistible opponent like Bournemouth, despite the fact that Potter will have to do without several players, including injured players (Kanté, Kepa, Fofana) and World Cup veterans (Ziyech, Kovacic). We don’t expect a great performance from the Blues, who should nevertheless manage to take the three points home with some fuss. The attack could also break free against what is the most beaten defence in the tournament.
The Chelsea-Bournemouth line-up
- CHELSEA (3-4-3): Mendy; Chalobah, Thiago Silva, Koulibaly; James, Jorginho, Gallagher, Cucurella; Mount, Aubameyang, Sterling.
- BOURNEMOUTH (4-4-2): Travers; Smith, Mepham, Senesi, Zemura; Christie, Cook, Lerma, Anthony; Billing, Solanke.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 2-1
