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Watford 1-2 Chelsea, Premier League: Post-match reaction

Steve Bardens/Getty Images

2-1, late winner from Diego Costa. I can't believe we did that again. Quick thoughts:

  • Willian missed the game with a 'minor' calf problem. Pedro started in his place, although 'started' is perhaps generous since neither team bothered playing the first half.
  • Walter Mazzarri's 3-5-2 presented a weird matchup for Chelsea's 4-3-3. The wingbacks were very difficult for the wide players to pick up, but in turn Watford had zero covers in wide areas of their own. Both teams were trying their best to exploit the opposition with long diagonals (Jose Holebas forced a save from Courtois early, while Matic and Costa combined later to give Gomes some problems), which does not make for very fun watching.
  • The less said about our passing early on, the better.
  • It was very windy at the stadium, and nobody seemed to know where exactly any high pass will land. That is not an excuse for the two free headers Branislav Ivanovic missed.
  • Ok so the second half: the watford goal was stupid -- Ivanovic got sucked inside onto a centre forward, at which point Cahill totally ignored the man on the far post. Capoue did come up with a cracking finish, to be fair, but... stupid. Poor Thibaut Courtois must be wondering what he has to do to keep a clean sheet.
  • Chelsea didn't gel in 4-3-3, but switched to 4-4-2 to get the goal back, eventually using Cesc Fabregas alongside N'Golo Kante in the centre. He and Michy Batshuayi were the difference -- Batshuayi chased in a Hazard shot for the equaliser before a quick through ball from Fabregas to Costa made it 2-1 in the 87th minute.
  • Costa should probably have been sent off for a dive. Again. It's like he thinks those yellow cards for dissent don't really count.
  • I'm not sure my heart can take this season.

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