Chelsea Player Ratings vs West Ham
Chelsea dominated the game against West Ham from start to finish, and attacked West Ham from the outset till about the 80th minute, as they had established their hard-earned 2-0 lead by then, and were content to hold on to it until the end of the game. Diego Costa powerfully headed the ball while in the box – to John Terry, who scored the first goal in the 31st minute, and Costa then scored a goal himself in the 62nd minute. West Ham had no entry into the game until the dying minutes, when a chance by Amalfitano hit the post and was taken away from danger.
Player ratings:
Thibaut Courtois – 7.5/10 – Nothing went past him, courtesy the defenders and the double-pivot of Fabregas and Matic which did not let anything reach him. He was confident under pressure, as he kept his seventh clean sheet in the Premier League this season.
Branislov Ivanovic – 7.5/10 – He has been in top form, as he kept the Chelsea midfield buzzing while he kept moving the ball forward from the right. Was at his best, as was expected, and Enner Valencia had no role to play in the game throughout the first half, as Ivanovic did not let him stray.
Gary Cahill – 7.5/10 – He made perfect interceptions, and kept Andy Carroll under wraps. His heading ability almost matched Carroll, as the long ball game did not work when West Ham tried it. Cahill is looking more confident with every game, and is set to be the mainstay of Chelsea’s defence in the long run.
John Terry – 9/10 – He had a perfect game, as he might not be able to match attackers in running, but he has adjusted to making crucial blocks and interceptions by staying put at the back, which he performed today. He also scored a goal, by straying past his marker and tucking the ball from Costa into the net to give Chelsea a well-deserved lead.
Cesar Azpilicueta – 7/10 – He was made to stop Stewart Downing from sending the ball into the centre, and though he could not stop the odd ball from drifting into the centre, he kept Downing under check, as Downing tried to drop deep and run with the ball, but Azpilicueta kept stopping him well.
Nemanja Matic – 7.5/10 – He has formed the perfect partnership with Cesc Fabregas in a double-pivot in the centre of the pitch, as both have formed an understanding in which they switch attacking and defensive roles perfectly. He kept pushing the ball forward and was involved in a lot of attacking moves himself, through the game.
Cesc Fabregas – 8/10 – He was sublime with his passing and his movement throughout the game, but looked even better towards the back end of the game, when he stopped Alexandre Song from making any sort of impact on the game, using his past knowledge of his style of play from Barcelona and Arsenal.
Willian – 8/10 – Kept making speedy bursts from box to box, and contributed with his quick passing, as he upped the tempo with every move, keeping West Ham under pressure throughout. Showed why he is preferred over Andre Schurrle with his quick, busy work rate and his good passing moves.
Oscar – 8/10 – Was brought in over John Obi Mikel as Jose Mourinho opted to give his side an attacking thrust in the attacking midfield, as Oscar made and took a few chances, which were all saved by his opposition goalkeeper, Adrian. Had a relatively good game, as Chelsea dominated the game.
Eden Hazard – 7.5/10 – there were chances that he would play today, having picked up an injury from his last game, but bounced back to make his appearance. Was a constant threat, and was kept in check by the defence, with his zigzag runs and quick passing proving hard for West Ham to control.
Diego Costa – 9/10 – Grabbed his first assist of the campaign for Chelsea in the Premier league today, and also scored a goal later, to try and get himself back into the fiery form that had made him a threat through the opening months of the campaign. He kept finding space for himself and was too hot to handle for West Ham’s defence. An excellent game throughout.
Substitutes:
Didier Drogba – 6.5/10 – Got into the game by the time the game had ended. Kept irritating the Hammers with his movement in their half of the pitch.
Ramires – Unrated – Made a late entry, and kept the Hammers from scoring a goal that could have changed the complexion of the game.