Chelsea visit Bournemouth at Dean Court on Saturday with a three-point lead over their 13th-placed hosts ahead of the weekend's action.
The Blues, 10th, are enduring the insipid end to the campaign many expected after they bowed out of the Champions League and FA Cup in March.
A 3-0 annihilation at the hands of Manchester City last Saturday illustrated the predicament Guus Hiddink will likely face until the final whistle sounds on the last day of the season on 15 May. Simply put, most his players no longer care.
Couple this with the fact Eddie Howe's men have already secured Premier League safety, this fixture is unlikely to produce a particularly passionate game of football.
The Blues, 10th, are enduring the insipid end to the campaign many expected after they bowed out of the Champions League and FA Cup in March.
A 3-0 annihilation at the hands of Manchester City last Saturday illustrated the predicament Guus Hiddink will likely face until the final whistle sounds on the last day of the season on 15 May. Simply put, most his players no longer care.
Couple this with the fact Eddie Howe's men have already secured Premier League safety, this fixture is unlikely to produce a particularly passionate game of football.
Bournemouth Team News
Harry Arter (calf), Benik Afobe (hamstring) and Adam Smith (groin) are all set to miss the trip to Stamford Bridge.
Tyrone Mings (knee) and Tokelo Rantie (leg) remain sidelined with long-term injuries.
Bournemouth Starting XI Prediction
Boruc | Francis, Elphick, Cook, Daniels | Ritchie, Surman, Gosling, Gradel | King, Grabban
Previous Six Meetings
Chelsea 0-1 Bournemouth (Premier League, December 2015)Bournemouth 0-1 Chelsea (League Cup, October 1994)
Chelsea 1-0 Bournemouth (League Cup, September 1994)
Bournemouth 2-3 Chelsea (Zenith Data Systems Cup, November 1989)
Chelsea 2-0 Bournemouth (League Division Two, March 1989)
Bournemouth 1-0 Chelsea (League Division Two, September 1988)
Score Prediction
With the exception of John Terry, Cesar Azpilicueta, Gary Cahill, Willian and – in his own unorthodox manner – Diego Costa, virtually none of Hiddink's players demonstrate a willingness to fight for the Chelsea badge and finish as high up the Premier League table as possible. The fact little more than pride is at stake at this stage of the campaign shouldn't affect their attitude to the extinct it is.
It's difficult to imagine the Dutchman addressing this over the remaining five games of the season, so there's every chance we'll be watching more of the same dull, spiritless football until this calamitous season comes to an end.
Hiddink will probably throw a few younger faces into the mix in attempt to combat this, and one would hope an injection of youth will generate some intensity and desire among the eleven players who walk out onto the pitch today.
All any Chelsea fan asks at this point is for every player on the pitch to give his all, which has been rare to the point of embarrassment this season. I'm predicting a 1-1 draw. What are your score predictions?
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