Red-Hot Cesc Fabregas Sets the Chelsea Standard in Bournemouth Win

Chelsea's Cesc Fabregas recently told Nizaar Kinsella of Goal how there was a time this season when he forgot how to play football. Well, he remembered against Bournemouth on Saturday.

The Spaniard was exceptional at the Vitality Stadium, picking up three assists as Chelsea cruised to a 4-1 victory.

It was a far cry from when these sides last met. Back in December, the Cherries were busy pulling off a major upset at Stamford Bridge, coming away 1-0 winners.

Jose Mourinho's reign as manager was all but over, and things were looking as bad as they had at any point this season. Chelsea were languishing in the bottom half of the table, struggling for form and confidence.

"After Bournemouth I was in bed and I spoke to my wife," Fabregas told Goal. "I forgot how to play football, I have the ball and I don't know what to do with it. It was hard, those two or three months from November, when I had no confidence."

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Guus Hiddink has helped to rebuild it, and Fabregas is beginning to look more like the player we saw last season. At this same stage of 2014/15, Fabregas was helping the Blues to victories over Queens Park Rangers and Manchester United that would go a long way to helping them secure the Premier League title.

The stakes are much different this time around. We know there's nothing to play for in Chelsea's season, although the common theory is it's places in Antonio Conte's new regime that must inspire players.

Fabregas' performance on Saturday has set the standard for that. With four assists for the entire campaign heading into the game, the three he picked up meant he came close to doubling it in just 90 minutes.

First, it was his pass for Pedro that got Chelsea rolling after five minutes. He later repeated the trick for Eden Hazard and then Willian.

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Had it not been for a moment of indecision from Hazard in the second half, it would have been four assists for Fabregas. It was a remarkable flick that split the Bournemouth defence to set Hazard free in on goal, but the Belgian got himself caught in two minds. Unsure of whether to shoot or pass to Diego Costa, by the time he eventually decided, it was too late and both chances had gone.

Save for the gasps in appreciation for how Fabregas executed that bit of skill, it was an interesting moment for where some of Chelsea's other players find themselves. A confident Hazard would have come away from this game with a hat-trick, but instead he had to settle for a brace after he completed the 4-1 rout in stoppage time.

Whereas Fabregas has restored his belief enough to allow him to do the unimaginable, others such as Hazard are still lagging. It makes sense with the Belgian, who hadn't featured since March 9, when the Blues were beaten by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, but others still need to rediscover their absolute best.

Fabregas is looking like a man who has, which breeds hope for Conte. If these players are playing for places under him next season, the new coach has been presented with a beautiful gift that he can build around.

Fabrgeas has been rightly questioned for his performances this season. As he confessed to Kinsella, he's not one who is going to disagree with that. Tweaks to personnel have helped him get back to more of what we know, however, and reflecting on what we saw on the south coast, he has so much to offer Chelsea for the future.

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Conte's success at Juventus revolved around a team ethic that he will preach when he arrives at Stamford Bridge in July. But to make that team lethal again, it has to come with a sprinkling of stardust.

Among others, Conte had Andrea Pirlo for that in Turin. At Chelsea, he can have Fabregas.

That shouldn't be taken as hyperbole, either. We know Bournemouth was a performance in isolation, yet reflecting on Fabregas' career, it's not beyond the realms of possibility that he could become as vital to Conte's Chelsea as Pirlo was to Juventus.

Fabregas has everything to his game. He just needs an environment that allows him to flourish, which is what Conte is being employed to do—not just for Fabregas but the club as a whole.

Mourinho's biggest mistake this season was allowing the tension surrounding Chelsea to create a vacuum that didn't allow his players to perform at their consistent best. Things snowballed, and rather than ease the tension, Mourinho fed the beast and it got worse with every defeat.

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The fact players of Fabregas' experience and quality had their confidence and belief in their ability zapped outlines that.

Fabregas is a class act, which shouldn't be forgotten. If Conte thought otherwise, the tape from Bournemouth would show him the sort of player he's inheriting.

Now Fabregas' team-mates need to do the same.

Garry Hayes is Bleacher Report's lead Chelsea correspondent. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @garryhayes.