Reece James offers timely reminder of value as Chelsea punished for familiar failings | OneFootball

Captain’s heroics a welcome sight but Blues once again pay the price for not taking their chances

If the surprise early in this season was at how quickly a young Chelsea team had progressed under Enzo Maresca, then the concern now is of how slowly they seem to learn.

Nicolas Jackson, whose brilliant assist had made Palmer’s opener, still inevitably emerged as the guiltiest party, stuck in the midst of one of those ruts where the ball simply will not go in. He missed two glaring chances, as well as the follow-up for the second of them, and struck the post from range.

It is now just one goal in seven league matches for the Senegalese, compared to eight in the previous 12. With Christopher Nkunku, unused here, the subject of Bayern Munich interest and Chelsea hoping for a £65million fee, is it beyond the realms that summer interest in a new centre-forward might be revived this month after all?

Since Christmas alone, Chelsea have been 1-0 up against Fulham and Crystal Palace before missing chances to extend the advantage, and then surrendering it entirely.

Before that, after Brentford almost launched another late fightback in a game Chelsea held on to win, Maresca had warned his players about the consequences of a lack of control, suggesting it was the flaw that would prevent them competing for the title. That was a month ago; they have not won a league game since and now it is their top-four credentials in doubt.

True, this was a Bournemouth side on a nine-game unbeaten run, who had toppled Tottenham, Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United already this term.

But it was also a Bournemouth side in full-blown injury crisis, with just 11 senior outfield players available at kick-off, and that reduced to 10 when James Hill limped off well before half-time.

It might easily have dropped to nine, but David Brooks escaped a red card for his clothesline on Marc Cucurella moments after Justin Kluivert had levelled from the spot following Moises Caicedo’s clumsy foul on Antoine Semenyo.

The pause for a long VAR review of the Brooks incident ought to have given Maresca a moment to calm and reorganise his troops. Instead, the Italian spent it raging on the touchline, while most of his players crowded Rob Jones at the pitchside screen.

And so, the game’s suddenly chaotic trend continued. James came on at right-back, where either he or Malo Gusto should really have started against Semenyo. Levi Colwill was hurt trying to block a Brooks shot but battled on.

His young defensive partner, Josh Acheampong, was beaten by Semenyo, who rifled a stunning effort high into the net, while Chelsea heads turned to the ground. In the space of 18 minutes, a side that had played with so much authority in the first half had lost the plot.

Maresca has talked himself down from his early season stance that his team lack leaders, insisting more recently that some are growing more vocal and others taking responsibility in quieter ways. Here, though, the void was clear.

James’s strike, a literal and figurative captain’s goal, at least did something to fill it, a reminder of his talismanic value if only he can stay fit.