“Relief for Lampard as Chelsea claim first win of the season”

<< photo by ALTEREDSNAPS >>

Chelsea finally ended their nine-game winless streak in all competitions by claiming their first win under interim manager Frank Lampard. The London-based club recorded a 3-1 victory over Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium to move up to 11th place with 42 points, whereas Bournemouth fell to the 14th spot, three points behind Chelsea, having played a game more. The Blues’ win came as a great relief for Lampard, who had lost his first five games in charge during his second stint, while it was also Chelsea‘s first win since early March.

The match started with Bournemouth having two opportunities to take the lead in the first five minutes, but the Chelsea defence stood firm. Conor Gallagher scored with a well-timed run and header to give the visitors the lead, but they were soon pegged back when Bournemouth’s Ryan Christie set up Matias Vina, who curled his shot from the edge of the box past Kepa Arrizabalaga and into the top corner.

Chelsea dominated early in the second half, and Bournemouth’s Dominic Solanke went down in the box after a challenge from Thiago Silva, but they were denied a penalty after VAR ruled the Brazilian got the ball first. The decision not to award a penalty seemed to galvanise the home side who forced Kepa into a save moments later from another flowing move, while an unmarked Dango Ouattara saw his header from a corner go over the bar.

However, in the 82nd minute, Chelsea capitalized on Bournemouth’s weakness on set-pieces this season when Hakim Ziyech delivered the ball from a free kick to the far post, where Benoit Badiashile beat Neto to score his first goal for the club. That goal gave Chelsea a lift, and they quickly made it 3-1 to seal the three points when Raheem Sterling went on a driving run into the box before poking the ball to fellow substitute Joao Felix, who finished with ease.

“It feels great, we just wanted to put in a performance today. We haven’t been good enough recently, so this was an important game for us. I think we performed well and deserved the win,” said Conor Gallagher after the game. “Hopefully we can move forward and take confidence from it. It felt much better, everyone seemed more confident, and we controlled the game. It was a good team performance, and we just need to carry it on now.”

The victory will provide a much-needed confidence boost to Lampard and his players as they have had a disappointing season so far. Although they are unlikely to finish in the top four, they can still qualify for the UEFA Europa League if they finish in the top seven.

This win not only ended their winless streak but also gave them a chance to finish on a high note and end the season on a positive note. They need to build on this performance and try and win their remaining games to move up the table and salvage some pride.

In conclusion, the win was a much-needed relief for Chelsea and Lampard, and they need to replicate this kind of performance in their upcoming games. The team has talented players, and they have shown in the past that they can compete with the best teams in the league. With the right attitude and effort, Chelsea can still finish the season on a high note and look forward to the next season with renewed energy and enthusiasm.