The Glass House on Fulham Road

Act 1: The Fragile Spark

The late December air around Stamford Bridge did not bite; it gnawed. It was a damp, pervasive cold that seeped through the layers of the faithful, settling into the concrete and the bones of the spectators. The "Hope-o-meter" was critically low. The team had dropped fifteen points from winning positions this season—a statistic that hung over the stadium like a curse.

In just the fourth minute, the first crack appeared. Moisés Caicedo lunged—a desperate, clumsy intervention. The yellow card flashed against the darkening sky. A collective groan rolled down from the stands.

Then, the throw-in. Antoine Semenyo launched it. David Brooks bundled it in. Chelsea 0-1 Bournemouth.

But Chelsea possessed individual brilliance. Estêvão, the teenage sensation, drifted inside in the 11th minute. Semenyo clipped him. Penalty. Cole Palmer stepped up, cool as the winter air, and swept it home. 1-1.

Then, the moment of magic. Minute 23. Enzo Fernández. The captain. He met a cutback from Garnacho with a terrifying calm. A clean, dense crack. The ball teleported into the top corner. 2-1. The turnaround was complete.

Act 2: The Glass Jaw

But the stone was already in the air. Minute 27. Another Semenyo long throw. Trevoh Chalobah rose, mistimed his jump, and flicked the ball to the back post where Justin Kluivert stood entirely alone. 2-2.

The silence returned to Stamford Bridge. The "Winning Position Curse" had struck again.

Act 3: The Vacuum

The second half was a war of attrition. Chelsea dominated possession—the "horseshoe of death"—but lacked bite. Then, the substitution. Palmer off. The stadium erupted in boos. "You don't know what you're doing!" chanted the Shed End.

Act 4: The Resignation

Minute 77. The ball fell to Enzo Fernández. Unmarked. Edge of the box. He leaned back. The ball sailed over the bar. 40,000 people groaned.

Full Time: Chelsea 2 - 2 Bournemouth.

The reaction was telling. No fury, just resignation. The plastic seats flipped up as fans turned their backs. The stats said Chelsea dominated, but the scoreboard told the only truth that mattered. Two days later, Enzo Maresca would leave. But on this night, the year ended not with a bang, but with a shuddering, exhausted stalemate.