It's 12 in a row for Chelsea and looks like no one can stop them. The Blues have been unstoppable ever since their humiliation at the Emirates and are well on course to secure the league title.
Chelsea were without the likes of Diego Costa and N'Golo Kante today due to suspensions, but that did not affect the team's performance one bit. Everyone expected Michy Batshuayi to start, but Conte pushed Eden Hazard into the striker's role with Willian and Pedro playing behind him.
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Bournemouth were without Nathan Ake in the heart of the defence as he can't player against his parent club. That had an enormous impact on the Cherries' performance at the back.
Here are the talking points from the match:
#1 - Chelsea eye record-breaking season
12 in a row for Chelsea and they are now just one shy of equalling Arsenal's record of 13 wins in a row in the Premier League! They face Stoke City at home in their next game on the 31st of December.
If Chelsea win, they will have the chance to break the Arsenal record at their arch-rival's ground, White Hart Lane – a place where they have not won since the 2012/13 season! Spurs players hate Chelsea for ending their hopes of the title last season and would do anything possible to spoil the party for the Blues this time around.
After the losses to Liverpool and Arsenal, nobody gave Chelsea a chance of winning the league. 12 games later, they have collected all 36 points and conceded just 2 goals!
#2 - Bournemouth need Nathan Ake
Late goals, last man tackles, goal line clearances and what not! Nathan Ake has done it all for the Cherries this season.
The Chelsea loanee has been the heart of Bournemouth's defence and Premier League's rule of the player not being able to player against his parent club hurt them a lot. Edie Howe had to bring in a replacement, and the defence went wayward.
Cherries have won 5 of the 8 matches Ake has played for them this season in the Premier League in which Ake has scored the winner twice! He even scored the lone goal for Bournemouth in the 3-1 loss at home to Southampton.
#3 - Pedro is rejuvenated
When Chelsea defeated Tottenham 2-1 at Stamford Bridge last month, I mentioned how Pedro was finding his Barcelona form again. But now, it looks like he's way past all that!
The Spaniard scored twice, arguably both were deflected goals, but statistics won't tell you that! He was on the toes of the Bournemouth defenders from the word go.
He started pressing high up the pitch and was lively throughout the game. He made some incredible runs and was giving nightmares to the Cherries fullbacks.
Willian might as well accept the role on the bench because it doesn't look like Pedro is going to let go of the place anytime soon. Pedro though is suspended for the next game as he's accumulated 5 yellow cards this season.
#4 - Jack Wilshere has finally found his feet
Arsenal fans and English media hyped Jack Wilshere so much that his ankles could not tolerate it. Every time the midfielder got on the pitch, it was given so much attention, and that just put too much pressure on him.
At Bournemouth, Jack Wilshere is not getting that much media attention and it's helping him a lot! Arsenal fans are not recording his every move, and he's got the freedom to try out new stuff and also play his natural game.
With players of his level and lesser than him, he's able to dominate the midfield and stand out. Arsenal kept signing better players and he just faded away into the darkness, and that resulted in him putting too much on the training ground and that once again, resulted in injuries.
#5 - What's happened to Moses and Alonso?
Last season, Victor Moses was at Stoke City and was finding it difficult to get into their starting XI. He managed to make 19 appearances for the Potters, and everybody thought he was set to be sold in the summer by Chelsea.
The story of Marcos Alonso is no different. He was struggling in the Premier League when he joined Sunderland on loan in 2014 and at Fiorentina, he was very inconsistent.
But now, the two are dominating the wings like world class players. Antonio Conte has played them consistently and ever since the two adopted that position, Chelsea are undefeated.
When Chelsea attack, they are present up front to cross the ball in and when they are defending, the duo are right on the opponent's wingers and giving them no space to make a cross.
Eyebrows were raised when Conte brought them into the first XI but now the same people are just raising up to applaud their performances every single game!
