1. N'GOLO KANTÉ | 9.2 |
Minutes played90
Touches82
Passes57/66
Shots1*/2
Take-ons1/2
Tackles3
Block+INT+RECs13
On a day when everybody played great, it is perhaps fitting that the summer's key signing comes out on top in what was Chelsea's highest rated match in about two years.
Other than the title-euphoria heavy wins over Crystal Palace and Sunderland at the end of the 2014-15 season, this is the highest rated "normal" game since the 5-0 away win over Schalke 04 in the fall of 2014. While the 8.22 average does fall shy of the famous trio of ~8.4 wins in late 2013-14 (6-0 over Arsenal, the comeback over PSG, and the 2-0 at Anfield), the 8+ rated (on average) game is a rare thing and we should celebrate it duly.
But not for too long; Chelsea will be back at it on Wednesday already in the League Cup.
Oh, and as far as Kanté ... yeah, he's pretty pretty pretty good.
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2. EDEN HAZARD | 9.1 |
Minutes played76
Touches58
Passes29/37
Shots1*/4
Take-ons5/8
Tackles2
Block+INT+RECs9
On his day, Eden Hazard is unplayable. This was a refrain we got quite used to two seasons ago as he swept all individual awards and Chelsea waltzed to the title.
Last season of course was a disaster — Hazard was subpar already before recurring injuries really made him useless for all but the final few weeks of the season — but he seems to be back and at time, even better than before.
At times he's still worse than before (remember the inconsistency issues throughout 2012 and 2013), but when he's on, he's on, and all is right with the world.
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3. THIBAUT COURTOIS | 8.8 |
Minutes played90
Touches42
PDistribution24/35
Saves5
Take-ons2/4
Tackles3
Block+INT+RECs8
Manchester United seem to bring out the best in Courtois. Like Hazard, he had a subpar last season affected to a fair degree by injuries, but he seems to be back and with the defense finally looking somewhat solid, also improving in confidence.
Catching crosses seems to be becoming a thing again, and that save he pulled out on Ibrahimović's snap-shot towards the end of the match was an underrated aspect of Chelsea's day.
Already up 4-0, it hardly mattered, but it's perhaps still worthy of inclusion in the Encylopaedia Thibautica.
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STARTERS:
Courtois (8.8), Cahill (8.4), David Luiz (8.1), Azpilicueta (8.5), Alonso (8.2), Kanté (9.2), Matić (8.7), Moses (8.5), Hazard (9.1), Costa (8.0), Pedro (8.5)
SUBS:
Chalobah (7.3), Willian (7.0), Batshuayi (6.8)