Bournemouth v Chelsea - Sat 23rd April 15:00

[Whitechapel]

TEAM NEWS
Bournemouth defender Adam Smith is still out with a groin problem.

Harry Arter misses out with an Achilles injury but Callum Wilson should feature again as he builds up match fitness after his long lay-off.

Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is suspended after being sent off against Manchester City last weekend so Asmir Begovic is set to replace him.

Eden Hazard is in contention to return from a five-game absence with a hip/groin problem.

MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head

• Bournemouth won the reverse fixture 1-0 in December - it was Jose Mourinho's last home game in charge before he was sacked.
• Chelsea have won four of their previous six league and cup games against Bournemouth.

Bournemouth

• Bournemouth have lost three of their last four Premier League matches.
• They have lost four of their last six home league games, winning the other two.
• Joshua King has scored in four of his last six league appearances for Bournemouth.
• Callum Wilson has scored five goals from just eight shots on target in the Premier League this season.

Chelsea

• Chelsea have now lost their last two Premier League matches, having gone their first 14 league games under Guus Hiddink unbeaten.
• But the Blues have won five of their last seven away matches in the Premier League (D1, L1).
• They have conceded just three goals away from home under Hiddink.
• Even if Chelsea win their remaining five games of the season, their maximum points tally will be 59, the lowest by a reigning top-flight league champion since Leeds United had 51 points in 1992-93.

 

[AFCB_Mark]

Asmir Begovic God that brings back some bad, bad memories. Was goalkeeper for us a day we got spanked at Swindon and he let in some comical goals. Was only a young lad of course. Will be really weird to welcome him back to Dean Court in a Chelsea shirt.

Both sides' seasons are over and both have had some ropey results and performances recently. Not sure anyone outside of the two clubs will give a toss about the game. We'll be playing more or less the same 11 who lost to Liverpool's backup side last week, which was a disappointing and frustrating afternoon in which we might have snuck a point but really weren't good enough.

Josh King our main danger man, he's a man possessed currently and causes chaos, if we can get the ball up to him.

Our win at Stamford Bridge certainly goes down as one of my favourite memories of this season, especially because we were struggling then and the win came out of nowhere (for us, obviously Chelsea were struggling).

Adam Smith was absolutely immense for us that day but sadly he's out injured. They'll be no nutmeging and generally dominating Pedro this time.

"We've got the special one" It was a great night.

Chances are this won't be nearly as exciting.

 

[AFCB_Mark]

This chelsea defence is shite, certainly goals to be had for us, sadly they are deadly in attack. Boruc had nothing to do, except pick the ball out of the net, twice.

We should have buried a few that half, wasteful.

 

[AFCB_Mark]

Well, that's what happens when you don't take your chances and when you tire chasing the game because of that.

Properly in the game, although Chelseas defence looking far far steadier and robust second half, but at least giving ourselves a go at it, until a ridiculous individual error from a free kick inside chelseas half, results in the ball being in our net seconds later. Killing the game at 3-1. And condemning the last 20 minutes to training ground pointlessness.

Once the game was killed Chelsea looked like they might go on and score a couple more, and eventually they did get a 4th.

Oddly, chelsea supporters through this final period of easy dominance seemed more interested in singing about Tottenham, not sure what they have to taunt Spurs about this season?

But they certainly had a touch of extra class going forward when it matterd most, too much for us.

We'll look at that first half and wonder.

 

[voltage]

Finally Hazard scored. And thumbs up for Willian's great kick skills, the guy owns beautiful kicks as the one of the goal, he's one of the best Chelsea players of the season.

 

[The Paranoid Pineapple]

Well, that's what happens when you don't take your chances and when you tire chasing the game because of that.

Properly in the game, although Chelseas defence looking far far steadier and robust second half, but at least giving ourselves a go at it, until a ridiculous individual error from a free kick inside chelseas half, results in the ball being in our net seconds later. Killing the game at 3-1. And condemning the last 20 minutes to training ground pointlessness.

Once the game was killed Chelsea looked like they might go on and score a couple more, and eventually they did get a 4th.

Oddly, chelsea supporters through this final period of easy dominance seemed more interested in singing about Tottenham, not sure what they have to taunt Spurs about this season?

But they certainly had a touch of extra class going forward when it matterd most, too much for us.

We'll look at that first half and wonder.

I'd think it odd if we weren't singing about Spurs, tbh. It's been a pretty wretched season and we've had nothing to play for for ages; the one thing we do have, with Tottenham up next and Leicester visiting on the final day, is a potentially significant role to play in the destination of the title. I hope any anti-Spurs bantz (a good and wholesome activity)* might serve as a reminder to the players that they BETTER BLOODY WELL TURN UP for that match.

*I obviously mean bantz of the non racist variety before some SMARTARSE PIPES UP