Five goals, and a midfield that finally looks like one
Chelsea 5–1 Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge. Two weeks after Brentford 3–0 Chelsea, the same team, more or less, scored five. That is the week: not the scoreline itself, but the speed of the turnaround from the worst league result of Xabi Alonso's short reign to the most complete performance of it. Alonso called it "a very complete performance" and said his side were "in control for most of the parts of the game" (15).
The catalyst was not the attack. It was Jordan Henderson, who scored twice and assisted, and Moises Caicedo, who Alonso got back and Merson promptly crowned "the best holding midfield player in the world of football" (2) (8). Shearer's verdict on Caicedo was more precise: "superb", with a "nasty" edge that every team needs (6). Look at the five games before this one. Arsenal 2–1 Chelsea, Chelsea 2–2 Hull City, Brentford 3–0 Chelsea. The losses had a pattern, and it was a midfield that could not win a second ball. Remove that and the front three suddenly get the ball facing forward.
Henderson, at his age, is the signing nobody priced in
Chelsea are fifth on 10 points from six, form W L D L W (1). Rogers took his fourth Premier League goal of the season and Alonso called him "young, fresh, strong, quick, a very complete, modern football player" (1) (7). Palmer signed until 2034 (4). João Pedro keeps scoring, and the trio's combined market value is now being argued as the best Chelsea have ever assembled (14). But the free kick is the detail that tells you what this squad is becoming. Alonso revealed Henderson spent the international break practising them, and then scored directly from one (18). "Palmer asked which corner we'd be celebrating in" (20).
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That is the cheapest, quietest, most useful bit of business of the summer, and the people who priced Camara at €70m can think about that while Chelsea refuse to pay it (3) (16).
The James injury, and Everton away
Here is the problem. Alonso confirmed a Reece James injury after the win, and Chelsea lose their best right-back option at exactly the moment they need him (11). Against Bournemouth the answer may have been Pedro Neto dropping into wing-back (5). Against Everton at Goodison, on Saturday 17 October, that becomes a question rather than a solution, and Everton away is precisely the kind of game a Chelsea side with a soft centre is expected to drop.
So watch the full-back shape and watch who partners Caicedo. If it is Henderson again, Chelsea have found their pairing. If Alonso rotates, we learn whether Saturday was a team or an afternoon.
