Electric Estevao channels Hazard with 4 successful dribbles; 13 touches in opposition box | OneFootball

Enzo Maresca has understandably been very cautious in introducing Estevao Willian to the Chelsea team. After some great cameos off the bench, the Brazilian had a few quiet games as a starter, then picked up a slight injury.

Today was his return to the team in the starting XI, and it was his best 90 minutes yet as a Blue. He was totally electric against Bournemouth, taking them on time after time, totally fearlessly. He competed physically and showed his incredible skill, time after time.

He completed 4 dribbles (the next best on the pitch was 2) and had 13 touches in the opposition box (the next best on the pitch was 8).

The penalty that Chelsea won to equalise at the start came after he was too clever and too quick for Adrien Truffert and Antoine Semenyo, with the latter clipping the wonderkid’s heel as he surged into the box.

Estevao masterclass Chelsea’s best outlet

Estevao Willian in attack. (Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC)

Once Cole Palmer had gone off, the winger was by far his team’s most creative and dangerous players. Still a raw teenager, he was given the ball time after time by teammates who trusted him as the most likely player to make a goal happen.

He’s able to get the crowd on their feet, time after time. Cherries players resorted to trying to bully him off the ball – he just laughed in their faces. They couldn’t handle him, and if there had been a single Chelsea player playing at his level in attack we would have won this game easily.

In other news…

Chelsea started this game with a disaster moment: Moises Caicedo getting a yellow card for a tackle after just 5 minutes.

Enzo Fernandez is struggling for form right now, and there are questions about whether he should be in the team, with an ESPN podcast pointing out that he may not be good enough to play in midfield in games where Chelsea need to defend.