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Despite loss, Matic and Azpilicueta continue to shine in your community player ratings

Nemanja Matic and Cesar Azpilicueta are the consistently excellent exceptions to a once again largely inconsistent Chelsea who have only notched up three wins from seven.

Chin up, Mr. BEAST
Chin up, Mr. BEAST
Michael Regan

1. NEMANJA MATIC - FC 7.2
Minutes played90
Touches76
Passes41/52
Clearances5/5
Aerial Duels6/16
Tackles2/6
Interceptions3
It wasn't quite vintage Anti-Yaya - as much as we can indulge any talk of vintage in just his ninth start for Chelsea - but Matic was mostly still the two-way midfield powerhouse who makes us a much better team overall.

Having done his job and at least half of Ramires's for most of the match and with Chelsea down to ten men, perhaps it's unsurprising that his legs and influence faded towards the end.  An unlucky bounce from a tackle that initially appeared to be won was one of the catalysts behind the conceded goal.  Earlier, an unlucky bounce up off the turf and onto (part of) his arm ruled out the goal that would've changed everything.

On another day, those two bounces go his way instead and we sit here talking unabashedly about his (and perhaps Eden Hazard's) match-winning performance.  As it is, he's still our well-deserved Man of the Match (his second).

2. CESAR AZPILICUETA - DL 6.9
Minutes played90
Touches99
Passes57/65
Take-ons2/4
One touch shy of an even 100 for most on the day for either team, Dave was another two-way influence.

As he's getting more and more comfortable on the left flank, we're starting to see Mourinho allow him extra freedom to come forward and contribute to the attack as well.  While his long-term future may lie back on the right flank, he's improving with every game on the left.

This was Azpilicueta's 28th start of the season; twenty-fives times, he's been rated 6.0 or higher.

3. PETR CECH - GK 6.5
Minutes played90
Touches35
Saves3
Distribution23/32
Squeaking in just ahead of Gary Cahill who has made this spot almost synonymous with his name, it's Petr Cech.

Denied by incredible finishing - by which I mean lucky backheel bounce - Cech and Chelsea now have "only" two clean sheets in their last seven.  Time to tighten things up.

OTHERS:
Ivanovic (6.3), Cahill (6.5), Terry (6.4), Ramires (4.1), Hazard (6.3), Oscar (5.3), Willian (5.3), Torres (4.0)

SUBS:
Schürrle (5.0), Ba (4.8)

OVERALL:
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