THE NOTEBOOK: Conor Gallagher becomes FOURTH player to captain Chelsea this season, Mauricio Pochettino backs youth over experience and Bournemouth continue long wait for a league victory
- Chelsea and Bournemouth played out a goalless draw at the Vitality Stadium
- Neither side could muster a goal, with Chelsea having the lion’s share of chances
- Listen to the latest episode of Mail Sport’s podcast It’s All Kicking Off!
Chelsea and Bournemouth played out a goalless draw during their Sunday afternoon Premier League clash at the Vitality Stadium.
The pair have scored nine goals between them during the opening five matches of the new Premier League season and they struggled to find the back of the net again today but it was Chelsea who had the better chances.
Nicolas Jackson and Raheem Sterling both hit the woodwork, with Levi Colwill tapping in a deflected free kick but his strike was ruled out with the defender being adjudged offside.
It means Mauricio Pochettino’s side have failed to score in each of their previous outings, while Bournemouth stay one place below them in the table, having failed to win in each of their previous outings.
Mail Sport’s Kathryn Batte was at the Vitality stadium and brings you several things you might have missed from Sunday’s match.
Chelsea and Bournemouth played out a goalless draw during their Sunday afternoon Premier League clash at the Vitality Stadium
Mauricio Pochettino’s (pictured) side have now failed to score in their last two Premier League outings and have, as of today, not won in their last 14 Premier League away matches
Bournemouth, meanwhile, are also struggling with form, having not won a Premier League match since last May
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Chelsea favouring youth players
Chelsea may have spent £1billion since Todd Boehly’s takeover but their bench yesterday consisted of six players who have never played for the club.
Mauricio Pochettino is currently without as many as 10 first team players due to injuries, meaning three 18-year-olds made up his substitutes.
The average age of the bench was 21 years and 54 days. Ben Chillwell, 26, was the most experienced player with 89 appearances.
Ian Maatsen (5) and Cole Palmer (1) were the only other two players to have played a game for the club before yesterday.
The average age of Chelsea’s bench
- Djordje Petrovic – 23 (GK)
- Lucas Bergstrom – 21 (GK)
- Cole Palmer – 21 (1 appearance)
- Ben Chilwell – 26 (89 appearances)
- Ian Maatsen – 21 (5 appearances)
- Deivid Washington – 18
- Alfie Gilchrist – 19
- Alex Matos – 18
- Ronnie Stutter – 18
- 95 appearances between them, 89 belong to Chilwell.
Conor Gallagher takes the armband
Conor Gallagher was routinely linked with a move away from Chelsea in the summer transfer window but yesterday he became the fourth different player to captain the club in the Premier League this season.
Gallagher, who also wore the armband in the League Cup victory over AFC Wimbledon last month, was given the responsibility against Bournemouth with regular skipper Reece James still injured and vice-captain Ben Chilwell on the bench.
Pochettino opted for Gallagher over Enzo Fernandez, who was previously passed the armband when Chilwell was substituted in earlier matches.
Goal struggles at both ends of the pitch
It was a tale of two teams’ struggles in front of goal at the Vitality Stadium yesterday.
Only Everton, Luton and Burnley have scored fewer goals than Chelsea (5) and Bournemouth (4) this season.
Three of the Cherries’ 13 shots were on target while the visitors managed to direct four of theirs 14 on goal.
Conor Gallagher (pictured) became the fourth player to captain Chelsea this season during today’s match
The away side had the lion’s share of chances with Levi Colwill (pictured middle) having a goal ruled out for offside after tapping in a deflected shot which bounced off the cross bar
Nicolas Jackson (right) also had chances for Chelsea, but the Blues could not find the back of the net
Between them, Bournemouth and Chelsea have only scored nine goals so far this season
The blues continue for Pochettino away from home
The away blues continue for Mauricio Pochettino, who is now winless in 14 away games in the Premier League.
The record pre-dates his time at Chelsea, with the manager having gone 12 away games without a victory at Tottenham.
This draw with Bournemouth followed Chelsea’s 3-1 defeat by West Ham earlier in the season.
Bournemouth’s win drought continues
Bournemouth’s wait for a first league victory since May goes on.
The Cherries have been playing some nice football under new manager Andoni Iraola this term but, in a run stretching back to last season, they are now nine league games without a win.
It represents their worst period since they went eight without victory between February and July in 2020, a campaign which saw them relegated to the Championship.
IT’S ALL KICKING OFF!
It’s All Kicking Off is an exciting new podcast from Mail Sport that promises a different take on Premier League football, launching with a preview show today and every week this season.
It is available on MailOnline, Mail+, YouTube , Apple Music and Spotify
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