The extended three-week international break may have benefited Chelsea more than any other team in the Premier League.

Although it is a small sample size, Saturday's 5-1 victory over Bournemouth appeared to support that theory, with senior club officials speaking before kick-off about how the break had come at the right time for the Blues.

Before the pause, it was clear new manager Xabi Alonso was searching for answers within his system, having moved to a back three.

Chelsea conceded a league-high 12 goals before the break but at times had been able to outscore opponents through the brilliance of Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Joao Pedro.

But the approach looked unsustainable.

A 3-0 defeat at Brentford before the break underlined the need for adjustments, and Alonso made several against Bournemouth.

Chelsea defended deeper, pressed in a different shape, and altered their build-up play to give Alonso's side a more solid look.

The return of key midfielder Moises Caicedo was a major factor.

Ecuador international Caicedo had played only 14 minutes as a substitute before Saturday after suffering a recurrence of a calf injury during a brief appearance against Brighton.

His quality in possession and ability to win the ball back made a huge difference.

Joao Pedro, who has the most goal involvements in the Premier League this season with eight (five goals and three assists), was also back.

As were Marco Palestra and Emmanuel Emegha, both named among the substitutes.

Palmer withdrew from England duty, drawing a reaction from Thomas Tuchel, but was fit to play the full 90 minutes for Chelsea and looked refreshed.

Without England commitments, the forward joined about 16 senior Chelsea players, supplemented by academy prospects, in near full-strength training sessions.

There was also coaching, experimenting and tactical work going on throughout the game, so the result was not the focus.

Alonso also said he spent a lot of time doing "office work", which insiders believe largely involved tactical analysis of previous matches and preparation for future opponents.

Chelsea had only 10 players away on international duty, while rivals Manchester City and Arsenal had 18 and 17 respectively.

When asked about the three-week break, Alonso said it was "too long".

For Alonso, the extended international break has provided valuable breathing space as he refines his approach at Chelsea.