Josh King shines in Bournemouth’s stunning demolition of Chelsea

All it took to erode all the positivity whipped up by domestic cup successes was a trip to the south coast. Chelsea were humiliated by an excellent Bournemouth here, their defence lacerated and exposed by the pace and incision of their hosts’ counterattacks. Maurizio Sarri had already delivered a damning public condemnation of his players’ inadequacies after a loss at Arsenal earlier in the month yet this, in so many ways, was a display even more insipid.

Their lead from fifth place, which recently gaped at six points, has been whittled away, but the deficiencies in Chelsea’s game had always endangered that pursuit of the top four. Sarri’s team are three points and five goals worse off than Antonio Conte’s were at the same stage last year, and were beaten by the time Junior Stanislas skipped down the right and crossed for Josh King to ease a splendid finish into the top corner 15 minutes from time. It was an excellent goal to confirm Bournemouth’s first win over a top-six side this term, and there would still be time for Charlie Daniels to guide in a fourth in stoppage time. Their own mid-season lull has been curtailed in spectacular fashion.

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from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/jan/30/bournemouth-chelsea-premier-league-match-report