Chelsea 2 Bournemouth 1: Blues seal sixth place and chance of Europa League as Pochettino ends season on a high
MOISES CAICEDO responded early in sensational style after being told to do more for the cause.
Britain’s most expensive footballer was only told to up his game from next season by boss Mauricio Pochettino in midweek, who is already thinking ahead.
But £115million Caicedo answered the call immediately with a stunning goal from more than 50 yards out as The Blues ended a turbulent season on a high.
With his newly-sprayed white hair, Caicedo stood out on the pitch with his striking locks.
But his bravery in going for goal from so far out was the real talking point, even more than his flashy barnet.
It lifted an already upbeat mood at Stamford Bridge with Chelsea doing enough to secure a return to European football after a year out.
The daring strike by the 22 year-old, his first goal for the club at the end of his debut season, also hints at exciting times to come as some of the club’s most cherished names prepare to depart.
Veteran defender Thiago Silva, 39, was treated to not one but two giant banners at each end of the ground for his last game before heading back to his native Brazil.
The crowd regularly burst into song, chanting his name in homage to a player whose legs are fasting but whose ability to read the game is unchanged.
And there could be more outgoings with uncertainty surrounding home grown midfielder Conor Gallagher, likewise defender Trevoh Chalobah who could both be sold to raise cash – and the head coach himself Pochettino who faces talks this week with his superiors.
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Chelsea’s fifth successive win must have firmed up the shifting sands underneath the Argentine’s feet, who admitted this week that at one point this season he did fear for his future.
An entertaining if not entirely comfortable win over a Bournemouth team which has steadily improved this season is enough to mean either Europa League or Europa Conference League football next term.
The result in next week’s all Manchester FA Cup final will determine which.
And results and form have never really been considered reliable yardsticks at a club which has seen three permanent managers serve under the owners who have barely been in charge for two years.
One of Clearlake Capital’s first signings in the summer of 2022 was Raheem Sterling at £37million.
He has hardly been in the team lately but back in for a rare start, looked like he would put them ahead in the 17th minute.
Put through when Nicolas Jackson threaded a ball between Bournemouth’s centre halfs, he was beaten to the ball by the quick thinking of keeper Neto.
But having rescued his team, the Brazilian then lost his mind and passed the ball straight to Caicedo, advancing from inside his own half.
The midfielder took two steps, looked up and spotted the opportunity to go for it, pumping a high ball over everybody from just inside the opposition half, watching it sail high into the summer sky before dipping into the back of the net for a spectacular way to get his account off the mark in some style.
To give the goal context, the Stamford Bridge pitch is 112 yards long, so Caicedo took his daring shot from at least 53 yards out. Almost the next postcode.
Even though Bournemouth were safe from the drop weeks ago and Chelsea needed only a draw to secure European football, the tempo and the tempers were running high.
A sideshow spat involving Marc Cucurella and Antoine Semenyo boiled over into a full blown wrestling match that resulted in both players being booked.
Home fans were aggrieved when Sterling had a penalty shout turned down by first ref Anthony Taylor, never a popular figure here, and then by VAR. Bournemouth left back Milos Kerkez got a yellow card for diving.
Sterling did get his name on the scoresheet just three minutes into the second half in another unfortunate moment for Bournemouth keeper Neto.
Bursting free along the left flank, the winger then drove a powerful diagonal ball into the six yard box, which cannoned off the keeper and in.
But just to remind everyone connected with Chelsea that there is still work to be done despite a huge recent upturn in form, The Cherries pulled one back a minute later.
Striker Enes Unal slammed a low ball into the goalmouth, and it rebounded off defender Benoit Badiashile and in for an own goal.
Former Chelsea striker Dominic Solanke missed a golden chance to equalise in added time when he blazed over from five yards out and had his head in his hands.