Chelsea vs. Tottenham Hotspur, Player Ratings: Welcome back, Eden Hazard!

A week after Cesc Fàbregas recorded a season-high 9.6, here comes Eden Hazard with a 9.5 in just 45 minutes of work.  A title-winning performance, if you will, though because it was only 45 minutes long instead of 35 games long, it only won the title for Leicester City instead of Chelsea.  Better than nothing!

This was the old Hazard, uncontainable Hazard, unplayable Hazard, Premier League Player of the Year Hazard.  Often surrounded by 3+ players, he still found ways to twist, turn, juke, pass his way out of trouble.  And of course there was the gorgeous goal, a shoo-in at this point for Goal of the Season.

BEHOLD:

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On the surface of it, it feels like an understated, almost eerie performance from Diego, since, for once, he wasn't front and center of all the "incidents" that occurred and his response to all the provocation was amazingly cool, calm, and collected.  Just when you think you've got the guy figured out...

In fact, Spurs should probably get some sort of special achievement for getting the vast majority of the media and the viewing public to (correctly) view them as the bad guys and (for the first time ever) Diego as the victim.  Better late than never!  (I suppose getting eye-gouged will do that.)

Beyond the off-the-ball stuff, it was an effective performance from the striker, occupying the center backs, creating space for others, and setting up Hazard's goal, while also contributing on the defensive end.  It's often said that Costa needs to play on the edge to get the best out of himself.  Turns out, that may not always need be the case.

It was John Terry's return that made headlines, but it was Gary Cahill, back from illness to complete last year's title-winning back four (at least on paper, if not quite in performance), who made the bigger impact, scoring one of those typical Gary Cahill set piece goals that rely more on his technique and shooting than just heading.  A left-footed wallop, after shaking off Toby "Best center back in England" Alderweireld's attentions, set Chelsea on our way for the momentous comeback.

The future at center back may look murky, but Even Cahill will be around to provide some consistency.  Better than nothing!