1. FERNANDO TORRES - ST | 8.2 |
Minutes played80 Touches37 Passes17/22 Key Passes3 Through balls1/2 Crosses1/5 Shots1/1 Lost ball4 So the count now is six man of the match awards in Torres's last 19 rated appearances for Chelsea. I must admit though, I'm not sure I get this latest one. It's almost as if we've fallen onto the other side of the horse and in our eagerness for good center forward play, we're now overrating his contributions. But hey, maybe he was just that good and I just can't see past the fact that in his efforts to help key Chelsea's second half revival, he should've been sent off long before Mike Dean could make another bad decision. Or perhaps in a match where both Lampard (7 tackles to lead the team) and Mikel (3 interceptions to lead the team) are rated below a substitute who played less than 10 minutes, it's just another sign of the frivolity and subjectivity of community player ratings. Having said all that, Torres was certainly a big factor behind the Chelsea comeback. Beyond the quantifiable passes, dribbles, near-assists (Mata's offside goal, Oscar's near miss, Schürrle chance), as well as forcing Lloris into one his many excellent saves, he helped galvanize the team with his clear desire and willingness. Like the fifth Planeteer, he had the heart. The video above makes for some lovely viewing. Yet we've seen this before. And just like Saturday, we've seen it end in red cards before. Remember the 4-1 vs. Swansea? Why can't we have one without the other, Fernando? More importantly, can we please not regress again like so many other times before? |
2. JUAN MATA - AM | 8.2 |
Minutes played45 Touches30 Passes17*/20 Key Passes2 Succ. tackles1 Barely missing out on the top spot by fractions of a fraction of a point, Mata had his "prove Mourinho wrong" moment at White Hart Lane on Saturday. On a day when both Oscar and Hazard looked well below par from what we've grown accustomed to, The Special Juan saved the day. Getting Mata on the ball has been a successful plan for Chelsea for two years now and we saw just that plan in action in the second half vs. Spurs. Only Lampard and Mikel had more touches, which is understandable given their defensive midfield roles. One assist, one tackle. Almost a goal, too. This is the new Mata. Love it! |
3. JOHN TERRY - DC | 7.6 |
Minutes played90 Touches56 Passes37/41 Shots1*/3 Clearances7/7 Interceptions2 Captain, leader, game-tying goal scorer. Terry continues his revival under Mourinho with another strong showing. Soldado did manage an assist via a lucky bounce, but was otherwise shackled and kept isolated by the Chelsea defense. Terry also popped up on set pieces at both ends and even led the team with three official attempts on the Spurs goal. All good signs, even leading to some early talk of a potential contract extension. |
OTHERS:
Cech (6.9), Ivanovic (6.3), David Luiz (6.7), A.Cole (6.3), Mikel (5.4), Lampard (5.8), Ramires (6.7), Hazard (6.3), Oscar (6.2)
SUBS:
Schürrle (5.9), Azpilicueta (5.9)