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Crystal Palace 2-1 Chelsea, Player Ratings: When no one plays well

Crystal Palace v Chelsea - Premier League Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images

You might notice the format is different than it’s ever been. That’s due changes behind the scenes, with our old editor going away for good after a slow and drawn-out transition/death. RIP old Chorus.

Hopefully we’ll figure out something nicer for this feature in the future.


1. TIEMOUÉ BAKAYOKO (6.1)

Minutes: 90
Touches: 88
Passes: 54/65
Shots: 1*/2
Take-ons: 6/6
Tackles: 4
Clearances: 4

Tiemoué Bakayoko gave a very good interview to Dom Fifield of the Guardian before the game. You should read that it you haven’t, even if it doesn’t cover too much brand new ground — he talks about his upbringing in the 14th District in Paris (thus his shirt number) and the influence Claude Makélélé had on his career.

In another recent interview, he also said he would dye his hair blue if/when he scored his first goal for Chelsea.

Well, let’s see it, Timmy.


2. DAVIDE ZAPPACOSTA (5.7)

Minutes: 52
Touches: 50
Passes: 19/23
Shots: 1/2
Take-ons: 1/3
Tackles: 3

Zappacosta made his longest Premier League appearance thus far under unfortunate circumstances, coming on to replace Chelsea’s latest hamstring injury victim, Victor Moses. Soon after, Chelsea conceded from that flank, and despite Zappacosta launching roughly a million crosses from the right in the second half, Chelsea were unable to equalize again.

With Moses set to miss at least a couple weeks, we’re going to be seeing a lot more of Zappacosta.


3. CESC FÀBREGAS (5.6)

Minutes: 90
Touches: 122
Passes: 67*/86
Shots: 0/4
Tackles: 13
Block+INTs: 5

I didn’t think Fàbregas played particularly well — in fairness, no one did — but he did collect the assist on Bakayoko’s goal and he certainly made more tackles than I ever thought him capable, so here he is in third, just ahead of Thibaut Courtois and Charly Musonda Jr.

Fàbregas continues to play a ton of minutes, which undoubtedly makes him happy, but I don’t think is necessarily ideal for Chelsea, especially since it deprives us of our one true game-changer off the bench.


STARTERS: Courtois (5.6), Cahill (4.6), David Luiz (4.5), Azpilicueta (3.8), Alonso (4.6), Fàbregas (5.6), Bakayoko (6.1), Moses (4.6), Hazard (4.3), Batshuayi (2.9), Willian (2.5)

SUBS: Zappacosta (5.7), Pedro (5.4), Musonda Jr (5.5)

OVERALL (table not yet updated for this game):

2017-18 player ratings - city h

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