Did Chelsea benefit most from extended international break?

What the report says

BBC Sport reports that Chelsea may have been the Premier League club to gain the most from the three-week international break, with their 5-1 win over Bournemouth on Saturday offering early support for that view. The match came after a difficult spell in which new manager Xabi Alonso was still working through tactical issues, including a switch to a back three and a run that had left Chelsea with the league’s worst defensive record before the pause.

According to the report, the break gave Chelsea time to reset physically and tactically. Alonso used the period for training, video analysis and work with returning players, while the squad also benefited from having fewer players away on international duty than some rivals. Key midfielder Moises Caicedo returned after injury, and striker Joao Pedro was available again, with both players said to have had a major influence against Bournemouth. Cole Palmer also returned refreshed after missing England duty and completed the full match.

The article says Chelsea also used the break to refine set-piece routines and improve build-up play, helping them look more balanced and less open than before. That matters because the club had finished 10th last season and has been trying to become more stable and less predictable under Alonso. BBC Sport notes that while it is early to draw firm conclusions, the pause appears to have given Chelsea valuable time to recover, adjust and prepare for the next run of fixtures.