17 September 2023 , 14:57
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Chelsea failed to win for the fourth time in their five Premier League matches under Mauricio Pochettino as Bournemouth held them to draw on the south coast.
An unfamiliar Blues side did have the better of the first half, but both captain Conor Gallagher and forward Nicolas Jackson failed to make chances count, with the latter hitting the outside of the post from distance.
The Cherries grew into the game the longer it went on, and Robert Sanchez was forced into a smart save from Dominic Solanke, while Raheem Sterling hitting the bar from a free-kick at the other end.
Here are the game's main talking points.
1. We have to start with that bench
It isn't often that your eyes are immediately drawn to a substitutes' bench when a starting XI is announced, but then nothing about Chelsea is common or expected these days.
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Six of Mauricio Pochettino's nine replacements at the Vitality had never played Premier League football before, as the world was introduced to such names as Alfie Gilchrist, Ronnie Stutter and Alex Matos. This isn't meant to mock what will clearly be extremely talented young players, but it was a remarkable sight.
This is a Chelsea side in an extreme rebuilding phase though, and this was the clearest example of the work that is being done, work that might well take a long time.
2. Captain Conor Gallagher
Gallagher took the armband for Pochettino's side (Javier Garcia/REX/Shutterstock)It wasn't just the bench which had an odd look to it either, with the (C) next to Conor Gallagher's name also more than catching the eye in the south coast rain.
Again, this isn't meant to denigrate the abilities of the hard-working England midfielder, a player who is a welcome example of players emerging from Chelsea's youth system and making a career for themselves in the first-team, but you don't have to go back very far to see stories about him potentially leaving the club. It was literally two weeks ago.
So is he captaincy material? Maybe Pochettino isn't really that bothered about who takes the armband. You'd think Thiago Silva would be the easy choice though, not a player whose very presence in the merry-go-round of a squad was in doubt a few days ago.
3. Dango Ouattara the entertainer
Ouattara played for just over an hour (Graham Hunt/ProSports/REX/Shutterstock)To the game itself then, and a welcome return to the Bournemouth side for the 21-year-old Dango Ouattara, a player who loves to provide entertainment.
The Burkina Faso winger was one of a clutch of arrivals who pitched up at the Vitality midway through last season, and he was certainly the most eye-catching of them. A wide man who loves to take on his opponents, drawing a lot of fouls as he does so, Ouattara could certainly do with upping his potency in front of goal - his only strike for the club so far was a typically dramatic last minute winner at Tottenham in April.
He's fun to watch though, with flashes of what he can do on show here. Fitness issues saw him depart just after the hour mark, but he should be a staple in the side in the coming weeks.
4. The worst of the Jackson five
Nicolas Jackson failed to make an impact in attack (Getty Images)This was a fifth Premier League start for Nicolas Jackson, and he was more ineffective than in any of the other four.
There was a lot to admire about the Senegalese forward during pre-season, and indeed on his professional debut for the Blues on the opening weekend against Liverpool, when his willing running and hard work were there for all to see. But this isn't a Chelsea side that is blessed with a goals throughout the team, and so the centre-forward could do with scoring against more teams than Luton.
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He struck a long range effort against the post here but that was about it, and that just isn't good enough.
5. Bournemouth come on strong late on
Dominic Solanke came to the fore in the second half (AFP via Getty Images)There is an increasing sense that we know who the relegated teams will be this season, or at least the fairly small group of clubs from where those relegated teams will come from, and Bournemouth have enough about them to ensure that they aren't in it.
Andoni Iraola is building quite an impressive side on the south coast, they play football in an adventurous way and they aren't afraid to mix it with the big boys, with their form at home likely to be crucial in terms of keeping them out of trouble.
They will worry sides at the Vitality Stadium, and did concern Chelsea here the longer the match went on, with Robert Sanchez required to make a couple of smart saves to preserve the clean sheet.