Chelsea host Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge on Saturday looking to impose Xabi Alonso’s possession-based system against an opponent comfortable pressing aggressively.
Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers can create problems between the lines, with João Pedro’s movement (if he comes back in this game) giving Chelsea another route through Bournemouth’s defensive structure. Their combinations have already emerged as a major part of Chelsea’s attack.
Bournemouth can respond through Alex Scott’s ability to progress possession and Marcus Tavernier’s threat in advanced areas. Scott has started the season strongly in midfield.
Chelsea must move the ball quickly enough to escape Bournemouth’s pressure, while the visitors can threaten whenever Alonso’s side leave space during buildup.
Chelsea is coming off a 3-0 road loss against Brentford on September 18 while AFC Bournemouth lost 1-0 at home against Liverpool on September 20.
Chelsea is in 10th place in the Premier League standings with seven points in five games while AFC Bournemouth is in 17th place with three points in five games.
The player to watch in this game is Cole Palmer, who has two goals and two assists in five Premier League games this season. AccuScore gives Palmer a 55% chance to score against AFC Bournemouth.
According to Opta Analyst, Palmer’s Expected Goals per Shot (xG Per Shot) stands at 0.08.
Dafabet Odds
Team to Win (Regular Time)
- Chelsea 1.72
- AFC Bournemouth 4.30
- Draw 4.20
Spread
- Chelsea -0.5, -1 (1.81)
- AFC Bournemouth +0.5, +1 (1.98)
Total
- Over 3, 3.5 (1.91)
- Under 3, 3.5 (1.85)
Key Points to Consider
Head-to-Head: These two teams last met in Premier League action on December 30 and the game ended in a 2-2 draw.
Projected Leaders
For Chelsea, Cole Palmer has a 55% chance to score, followed by João Pedro (53%) and Morgan Rogers (44%).
For AFC Bournemouth, Rayan has a 29% chance to score, followed by Marcus Tavernier (20%) and Evanilson (17%).
Analyst’s Pick
Chelsea 1.72
AccuScore gives Chelsea a 68.5% chance to win this game. Average score in simulations is Chelsea 2.6 to AFC Bournemouth 1.1.
