Morgan Rogers will rate the start of his Chelsea career as 10 out of 10, even if the Blues’ results have been mixed ahead of Saturday’s meeting with Bournemouth.
After winning their first two Premier League games under Xabi Alonso, Chelsea went into the international break on a three-match winless streak (1 M2), with the latest being beaten 3-0 by Brentford.
They are 10th in the table before hosting 17th-placed Bournemouth, who have not won any of their first five games under Marco Rose and are 3 points adrift.
Rogers’ individual stats have been strong as he already has three goals and one assist this season following his British record £117 million move from Aston Villa.
Only Joao Pedro (three goals, three assists) has scored more for the Blues in the Premier League this campaign.
Speaking to The Standard during the international break, the England midfielder was asked to rate his start to the season and replied: “10 – I’ve enjoyed it.
“I feel better than I’ve ever felt. I’m playing like I’ve done in my career, contributing, scoring goals, assisting, creating chances. So why not 10?
“It’s time to take that next step and I feel like I want to be seen as one of the best players in the Premier League, one of the best players in the world.
“For that, I had to take the next step and start the next chapter.
“I have to play with the best players in the world and compete with the best players in the world and on a bigger stage and I just feel that Chelsea brings a different level of pressure to win and perform every game.
“I think people will judge me on a higher pedestal based on what I deliver. I want to show what I’m about.”
A few from today.
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) October 7, 2026
Alonso said before the international break that he hoped Joao Pedro would recover from injury in time to face Bournemouth, but the Cherries have their own selection problems.
Midfielder Alex Scott is expected to miss 70 minutes of the Three Lions’ 7-0 defeat to Croatia last Saturday for between six and eight weeks after injuring his quadriceps tendon on his England debut.
Bournemouth are reportedly unhappy with England’s handling of Scott’s situation, but Thomas Tuchel insisted earlier this week that there was no wrongdoing on their side.
“It’s strange with Alex, so I’m very sad,” Tuchel said.
“He trained fully before Croatia, he did extra work after training. We knew he had treatment, but only the green light from him and the doctors.
“When we found out there was a little discomfort during the match and asked if he wanted to come on, he said no. After the match he said he could play 90 minutes and he didn’t feel any injury. It’s strange. Zero risk was taken by us.”
Another special night with @England for @AlexScott_7
— AFC Bournemouth (@afcbournemouth) October 4, 2026
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Chelsea – Morgan Rodgers
Only Gonzalo Garcia (32) and Erling Haaland (27) have made more cross selection runs in the 2026-27 Premier League than Chelsea midfielder Rogers (20).
Meanwhile, only Garcia (23), Bryan Mbeumo (21) and Matheus Cunha (18) have scored more runs for their team than Rogers’ 18, which ties him with teammate Cole Palmer.
Bournemouth – Ryan
A total of 22 goals have been scored in Chelsea’s five league games under Alonso (10-12), while the Spaniard has averaged 3.8 goals per game (12-11) in six managerial meetings with Rose.
Ryan, who scored his second goal for Brazil during the international break, could pose a major threat against Australia if Saturday’s contest drags on.
PREDICTION OF THE MATCH – CHELSEA WIN
Chelsea are unbeaten in their last nine Premier League games against Bournemouth (4D 5D), with each of the last three finishing level.
Three of Bournemouth’s four Premier League wins over Chelsea have come away from home, although those three wins were their only clean sheets at Stamford Bridge.
Bournemouth have started a Premier League campaign with a five-game winless run for only the second time in 2023-24, following three draws and two defeats.
Rose is only the second manager to fail to win his first five top-flight matches in charge of the Cherries, the other being his predecessor Andoni Iraola (first nine).
Whatever the result, goals are guaranteed when Chelsea are involved.
Chelsea have conceded the most goals in the Premier League this term (12) and could become the third team to concede as many goals in each of the first six matches of a campaign, after Everton in 1994-95 and Derby County in 2000-01.
OPTA WIN probability
Chelsea – 51.8%
Bournemouth – 25.3%
Win – 22.9%