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Maccabi Tel-Aviv vs. Chelsea, Player Ratings: Willian keeps it historic from free kicks

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1. WILLIAN - FREE KICK GOD 8.5
Minutes played77
Touches43
Passes30/37
Shots1*/1
Take-ons4/5
Fouls drawn4
Frankly, it's getting a bit ridiculous.  It's one thing to be on a good run of form, to get lucky for a few games in a row.  It's another thing to consistently be doing something all season, especially if that something is "scoring from free kicks".  Willian's free kick-taking has got to be bordering on historic already and we're not even halfway through the season.  We're definitely in Zico territory now.  I want to see double digits, Big Willi Style!

"From the start of the season he has been fantastic. He's taken it up to another level."

"When he gets a free-kick anywhere around that 18-yard box you get the feeling there is going to be a goal now. I said that to him after the goal. We see him in training practising them and it's not luck, he works hard on them."


Now we just need to figure out how to get Hazard and Willian to play well at the same time, in the same match.

2. BABA RAHMAN - DL 7.7
Minutes played90
Touches72
Passes60*/67
Tackles4
Blocks+INTs3
In our previous match, against Norwich City, Mourinho chose to go with Kenedy as the de facto left back just in case the Canaries opted for a three-man backline.  They didn't, so Kenedy had a bit of defending to do as well.

In the future, maybe we can just start Baba in such circumstances — he's quite excellent going forward and loves a good cross, and it's almost a toss-up between the two youngsters in terms of who's a bigger liability in defense.

3. ASMIR BEGOVIĆ - GK 7.6
Minutes played90
Touches25
Distribution16/19
Just barely edging out game-changing goal-scorer Gary Cahill for the third spot is the Chelsea goalkeeper, who will soon be relegated back to a backup role when Courtois makes his long-awaited return from injury.

It's not that Begović has been bad during his 16-straight starts (6 clean sheets).  He's been good, often even great.  But he's just not Courtois.  Not many are.

STARTERS:
Begović (7.6), Baba (7.7), Terry (6.9), Cahill (7.6), Azpilicueta (7.3), Matić (6.9), Fàbregas (6.8), Hazard (6.7), Oscar (7.2), Willian (8.5), Costa (5.6)

SUBS:
Pedro (6.4), Zouma (7.4), Rémy (6.1)

OVERALL:

2015-16 player ratings maccabi A

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