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| 1. KENEDY - DL | 7.7 |
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Minutes played69
Touches56
Passes38/46
Shots1*/1
Take-ons3/4
Clearances0/3
Tackles3
Block+INT+RECs8
Kenedy's third start for Chelsea, just like his second, came against Norwich City and, just like his second, came as a de facto left back. Kenedy, as we know, is not a left back — maybe a wing back, in a highly attacking 3-5-2, if we stretch things — but he did well enough once again. (That he was preferred over Baba is perhaps not a good omen for the actual left back.)
Of course, it was at the attacking end that Kenedy's impact was mostly felt, wasting no time at all to basically settle the tie less than a minute after kick-off with his well-taken goal. Gary Cahill certainly was impressed.
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| 2. DIEGO COSTA - FC | 7.3 |
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Minutes played90
Touches55
Passes33/41
Shots1*/2
Aerial duels2/6
Take-ons1/4
Hiddink made several changes for this match, rotating more than perhaps in any other game since he took over in December. In addition to the kids, second chances were given to the likes of Matić and Oscar, both of whom largely failed to impress.
At the opposite end of the spectrum is Diego Costa, who's been so impressive since the turn of the year that he's been simply impossible to drop. Another goal for Diego, giving him 8 in his last 10 Premier League games.
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| 3. BERTRAND TRAORÉ - AMR | 7.3 |
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Minutes played60
Touches35
Passes21*/24
Shots0/3
Take-ons1/1
Tackles2
After three straight appearances with a goal, Traoré's streak was broken as he was kept off the scoreboard.
But he did make it onto the scoresheet with an assist on Chelsea's second goal, and, in general, did his chances of playing more going forward no harm at all with great runs in behind the defensive line, mostly smooth touches, and a decent enough work-rate for the hour that he was involved.
Not bad at all for his first ever competitive start for Chelsea. May it be the first of many.
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STARTERS:
Courtois (6.6), Kenedy (7.7), Ivanović (6.6), Cahill (6.7), Azpilicueta (6.7), Matić (5.7), Fàbregas (6.4), Hazard (7.1), Oscar (5.5), Traoré (7.3), Costa (7.3)
SUBS:
Mikel (5.9), Willian (6.1), Baba (6.2)
OVERALL:
