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| 1. PETR CECH - GK | 9.4 |
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Minutes played90
Touches29
Distribution16/18
Saves4
We're a bit spoiled when it comes to goalkeepers. Thibaut Courtois costs us a rare goal (after back-to-back Man of the Match performances) and makes a few shaky plays in the next game, so we give him a mental break and dust off the backup. For most teams, this would be a tremendous cause for concern. For us, it's as if nothing happened.
That's the luxury of having Petr Cech as your backup, a backup who promptly spends the next 90 minutes stonewalling ex-Chelsea hero-in-waiting Romelu Lukaku with two world class saves, the second of which is quite possibly our save of the season so far. Even his kicking game was on point, and that's not always the case.
There's very little chance that we'll get to have such an unfair advantage at goalkeeper next season, so let's enjoy it while we can. Cech's 9.4 is the highest goalkeeper rating this season, eclipsing Courtois's 9.2 (Leicester) and 9.1 (Liverpool, League Cup 2nd leg).
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| 2. NEMANJA MATIC - MC | 8.7 |
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Minutes played90
Touches80
Shots1/3
Passes55/65
Take-ons7/7
Tackles1/3
Blocks+INTs2
While not as flashy as Hazard, nor as obvious in game-changing impact like Cech's saves and Willian's goal, Matic had a tremendous game in the middle of the pitch anyway. And while James McCarthy's half-time introduction helped Everton gain some sort of a foothold, for most of the game, the midfield was Matic's playground of domination. Even his Opta stats of dubious usefulness are outlandish (check out those dribbles!).
Bow down!
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| 3. WILLIAN - AMC | 8.5 |
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Minutes played89
Touches83
Shots2*/3
Passes64/76
Take-ons1/3
Fouls drawn3
Willian the Lionheart makes it two third places in a row and his third 8.0 or higher rating in his last six starts, this time as the starting No.10 rather than his usual right wing position.
It's been a good month for the oft-maligned player (mo' money, mo' expectations), the impending arrival of Juan Cuadrado seemingly motivating him to his best Chelsea performances yet. Long may it continue.
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OTHERS:
Azpilicueta (7.3), Terry (7.5), Zouma (8.3), Ivanovic (7.2), Ramires (7.0), Hazard (8.2), Cuadrado (7.2), Remy (6.3)
SUBS:
Drogba (6.3), Fabregas (6.7), Cahill (6.1)
OVERALL:
