Moises Caicedo left it late but on the final day of Chelsea's confusing campaign the midfielder produced arguably the season’s best goal.
It was certainly the longest-range effort as he struck from more than 50 yards to help secure sixth for Mauricio Pochettino's team. The Ecuadorian does not find the net often - his previous club effort was in September 2022 - but this beauty was worth waiting for.
Bournemouth goalkeeper Neto had rushed off his line to thwart a Raheem Sterling counterattack only to send his clearance straight to Caicedo, just inside the Chelsea half. He took a touch and, with Neto retreating, sent a sublime right-footed attempt over the heads of everyone and into the net.
And that set Chelsea on their way to a fifth consecutive win as Sterling doubled the advantage two minutes into the second half following a weaving dribble down the left.
Bournemouth pulled a goal back when Enes Unal’s shot was deflected in off Benoit Badiashile but there was no panic from the hosts as they signed off on a positive note. Pochettino will sit down with the sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart in the coming days for a debrief and was invited to have dinner with chairman Todd Boehly on Friday night. But his future is not 100% certain.
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In a 780-word pre-match letter to supporters, Chelsea’s demanding owners outlined a six-point plan to bring the good times back to Stamford Bridge. To summarise, they want consistent silverware and Champions League participation with a squad made up of the world ’s most talented young players.
Pochettino has fallen short of those lofty demands in his first season, described by his bosses as “brimmed with challenge and change.”
But while no one is guaranteeing he will remain in place come August, it is obvious that he is gradually improving an inexperienced squad. Since the midway point of the campaign they have had the division’s fourth-best record and in the past month began to play with freedom and verve.
Nicolas Jackson and Cole Palmer reflected that collective confidence with good chances inside the opening two and a half minutes here. Then came Caicedo’s moment of magic, the league’s furthest goal scored since Wayne Rooney for Everton against West Ham in 2017
Mauricio Pochettino during Chelsea's fifth straight win to close the Premier League season.Bournemouth, with top scorer Dominic Solanke starting as a substitute, only began to threaten approaching the interval as Ryan Christie and James Tavernier tried their luck from range against a Chelsea defence featuring Thiago Silva for the final time.
And when Sterling made it 2-0, it looked like a comfortable second period was in store for the veteran Brazilian. But Andoni Iraola’s team hit back immediately thanks to Unal’s shot taking a heavy deflection off Badiashile on route to goal and for a brief period the mid-table visitors appeared dominant.
A couple of months back Chelsea would have shrunk at the first sign of such pressure but they soon returned to the ascendancy. Star man Palmer displayed a rare piece of indecision when in a promising position to score a third and Christopher Nkunku twice went close.
Bournemouth did not give up, however, and Solanke struck wide from a tight angle before Dango Ouattara brought a good save from Djordje Petrovic late on. And four minutes into added time Ouattara was denied again by the keeper before Christie’s follow up was blocked and Solanke inexplicably sent the rebound over.
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