Chelsea again failed to close out a Premier League match, drawing 2-2 with Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge, and Wesley Fofana warned that this habit must change quickly if Chelsea are to secure a top-four
place and avoid further damage to their Champions League hopes.
The visitors struck first through David Brooks, but Cole Palmer levelled from the penalty spot and Enzo Fernandez then produced a composed finish, giving Chelsea a 23rd-minute lead, only for Justin Kluivert to punish more poor defending from another long Antoine Semenyo throw.
Chelsea controlled much of the second half, taking nine shots and generating an expected goals figure of 1.13, yet Djordje Petrovic denied every effort, while Bournemouth’s earlier spell saw 14 attempts before half-time, the most Chelsea have allowed in the opening half of a home Premier League game since detailed records began in 2003-04.
The failure to protect advantages has become a clear trend for Chelsea in this Premier League campaign, with the draw against Bournemouth meaning Chelsea have now surrendered 15 points from winning positions, the highest tally in the division, while Bournemouth sit next on 13, underlining how costly these lapses are becoming.
| Team | Points dropped from winning positions |
|---|---|
| Chelsea | 15 |
| Bournemouth | 13 |
Fofana stressed that Chelsea’s biggest issue is failing to finish opponents when on top, saying, "It was a tough game. Good game. We try to give everything but when you concede two goals like this, it's complicated at this level," and Chelsea’s inability to manage set-piece throw-ins again proved costly.
Fofana felt Chelsea did many things right but still lacked ruthlessness, explaining, "We didn't kill the game in the second half. We had chances but didn't score. It's difficult. We played well tonight. We were solid, we conceded two goals, of course, but we played well. We need to continue like this. "
Set plays remained a clear frustration for Fofana, who added, "Throw-ins, we concede two goals, it's the same. It's everyone, we need to do better. We need to analyse and progress from that. We need to kill the game. We need to score. We had chances but didn't score. It's not only the forward players, it's everyone. Everyone tries, but sometimes it's like this. We need to progress from this, we need to kill the games more. When we have chances, we need to score. "
2-2 - This is just the second time that Chelsea have scored and conceded 2+ goals in the opening 30 minutes of a Premier League game at Stamford Bridge (previously v Burnley in April 2019). Chaos. pic.twitter.com/nrsBK8rYnDOptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 30, 2025
This latest setback leaves Chelsea fifth in the Premier League table, with just one win across the last seven league fixtures, four draws and two defeats, and the gap to fourth-placed Liverpool could reach five points if Arne Slot's side beat Leeds United on New Year's Day, while Manchester City visit Stamford Bridge on January 4.
Assistant Willy Caballero faced the media instead of Enzo Maresca, who felt unwell, and Caballero explained, "Enzo [Maresca] isn't feeling well. He didn't feel well the last two days but still made training and made the game today," before clarifying that Caballero stepped in simply because Maresca was not fit enough to complete post-match duties.
Caballero described an open contest and emphasised the need for Chelsea to tighten details, saying, "I took his position just to clarify that he isn't feeling well enough to do the rest of the stuff that the manager has to do, so I'm here instead. On Chelsea's performance, Caballero added: It was a crazy first half. We turned the score around but then conceded a goal, so we need to improve and correct immediately. "
Caballero praised much of Chelsea’s play but echoed Fofana’s concern about missing a decisive edge, stating, "The players showed up and created the build-up and the open play was on point. It was perfect, we created chances and had chances in the second half too. Unfortunately, we couldn't win the game and it feels a little bit disappointing. We did better things than Bournemouth to get the three points. But we only have one point because we conceded two goals today. "
For Caballero, Chelsea’s attacking patterns were encouraging but the lack of a finishing touch, plus set-piece issues, remain a problem, as he said, "The final product was just missing because we arrived in the box and got many crosses off. We are improving in certain areas but we still need to learn to kill games and maintain the score when we are winning. It is always frustrating to concede from set pieces but it is part of the game. When you concede two in the same game though, it is tough. "
The draw with Bournemouth summed up Chelsea’s current Premier League situation, with strong spells of possession and chance creation undermined by soft goals from throw-ins and missed opportunities, and unless Maresca’s squad quickly solve these problems in both boxes, their push for a top-four finish will remain under threat heading into a demanding January schedule.
