1. ANDRÉ SCHÜRRLE - HERO | 9.3 |
Minutes played73
Touches41
Passes16/19
Shots2*/4
Take-ons1/5
Having now had the pleasure to observe Schürrle for almost a whole season, I can confidently declare that he's a fairly odd player. When he plays on the wing, he plays almost like a striker (wonderful runs into the channels, unafraid to shoot, economic passing). When he plays up front, he plays like a midfielder (drops deep, pass first, shoot later). When he plays on the left, his instinct is to cut inside and avoid direct contact. When he plays on the right, his instinct is to take on his marker.
Perhaps by odd I mean versatile and sporadically awesome - a quality of which we made full use on Tuesday when he was all over the pitch - and the best nose for goal in the squad this side of Samuel Eto'o. Thrust into the game-changing, injured shoes of Eden Hazard, Schürrle didn't let us down with a composed finish just after the half-hour mark to set us on our way.
It's a team-leading third time in the last nine matches that Schürrle has won your Man of the Match vote, during which time he's scored five of his eight goals for the season.
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2. DAVID LUIZ - GOD | 9.1 |
Minutes played90
Touches75
Passes41*/58
Shots1/1
Tackles5/8
Interceptions2
Clearances4/4
Many blamed David Luiz - thanks to his silly foul and subsequent own goal from PSG's free kick - for a large share of Chelsea's first leg defeat. Right or wrong, Sideshow was clearly motivated to set the record straight and promptly responded with his best game of the season. That it came in midfield, where he spent much of the 90 minutes hunting, nipping, growling, dominating all comers as some sort of godly lone wolf only makes it more impressive.
It's been a slightly disappointing season for David Luiz, with constant transfer talk and several niggling injuries, but when he's been healthy, more often than not Mourinho has found a place for him in the squad - even deploying him in midfield lately after adamantly declaring just the opposite intention. The manager's faith was repaid in full on Tuesday, Sideshow even adding a crucial assist with a... well, let's call it a flick-on, for Chelsea's first goal.
Please don't ever leave me, David Luiz!
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3. DEMBA BA - SAVIOR | 9.1 |
Minutes played25
Touches12
Passes4/6
Shots1*/1
Aerial duels4/7
Clearances2/2
How does it go?
Even if Ba ends up doing nothing else for the rest of his Chelsea career - and it should be pointed out that he does have two more years left on his contract so you never know - we will always remember this goal, this moment, this emotion. Mourinho used him as a tactical Scud missile to unsettle PSG's center backs and it worked a charm. And then he used him as an emergency third center back and it also worked a charm.
With three goals in four Champions League appearances, the big man is clearly enjoying his European adventures with the Blues.
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OTHERS:
Cech (8.9), Azpilicueta (8.9), Terry (8.6), Cahill (8.7), Ivanovic (8.4), Lampard (7.7), Hazard (6.8), Oscar (8.3), Willian (8.6), Eto'o (8.2)
SUBS:
Schürrle (9.3), Ba (9.1), Torres (7.5)