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LIVE BLOG
FULL TIME: Chelsea win!
90+7min: Foster is up, too, and he almost puts it into the net! BUT KEPA MAKES THE SAVE AND CHELSEA WIN!!!
90+6min: 5 minutes is up and yet we play on. Mount is called for a foul, harshly, giving Watford one last ball into the area.
90+5min: Chelsea defend a couple more crosses.
90+4min: Chelsea making a mess of things as Willian picks up an injury. Kovacic eventually hacks clearas Reece James comes on.
90+2min: Kovacic carries clear after Chelsea shut down a couple wide attacks.
90+1min: Zouma with another great block after Chelsea get caught upfield on the left flank.
90min: Michy has a chance to put it away, but a great tackle from Mesina blocks the shot.
89min: Jorginho gets a yellow for apparent time-wasting. It’s his fifth of the season, so he’s suspended for the next game.
87min: Batshuayi on for Abraham as Chelsea try to play out the rest of the time.
83min: Chelsea finally make a change as Callum Hudson-Odoi replaces Christian Pulisic.
82min: Emerson goes for a jaunt through the middle, gets wiped out by Dawson on what looked like a good tackle. Taylor calls a foul anyway and gives Dawson a yellow. LOL?
80min: Deulofeu takes the penalty VAR won for him. He scores. 2-1.
77min: Chelsea refuse to clear the ball and almost play into danger. Deulofeu tries to buy a penalty off Jorginho, but Taylor doesn’t fall for it. VAR’s checking however (Mike Dean) and after much deliberation, gives the penalty! What a joke that is.
76min: Deulofeu pops up with the ball briefly, but Zouma’s there to clear. Watford making one final push now.
75min: Janmaat off for Femenia, much to the displeasure of the home crowd, who chant “you don’t know what you’re doing” at either the manager or Femenia himself.
74min: Kovacic channels his usual Hazard as he runs from the Chelsea penalty area into the final third, heel-flicking a pass wide to Pulisic at the end. Eventually, the possession is worked wide right, but Willian’s tackled for a throw.
73min: A period of comfortable possession is slowly worked into the final third by Chelsea, before Mount settles for a long range effort. Foster’s down to save and hold on.
70min: Emerson gets tripped just outside the area by Hughes, but the referee waves play on. Janmaat then goes into the book for tripping Jorginho.
69min: Great but dangerous playing out of the back works for Chelsea, and we look to be in, but Mount gets his pass all wrong for Pulisic. Chelsea win the ball back high up the pitch, and quickly attack through the middle, finding Abraham, who turns in the area but gets his shot blocked.
67min: Attacking change for Watford as Hughes comes on for Chalobah
64min: Kovacic tries to pick out Abraham, but the ball just evades the striker’s lunging foot. Chelsea pushing for a third.
62min: Chelsea work the ball well again, with Willian playing in Azpi for a cross. It’s headed clear but only as far as Kovacic at the top of the area. He’s in acres of space and goes for the shot, but can’t quite decide whether to side-foot it or lace it. He goes for the former and Foster catches with ease.
59min: Chelsea come again, finding Pulisic in the left channel. He takes on two, works space for the shot, but Foster sticks out a leg to keep it from 3-0.
58min: Great hold-up play from Abraham, who finds Willian making the run on the right. He drives at the box, with plenty of options, but can’t find one as Watford cut out the low angled ball across.
55min: GOALLLLLLLLLLL PULISICCCC!!! Willian wins the ball in midfield but Mount’s pass is just behind Pulisic and a 3-v-3 chance breaks down. But Chelsea win the ball back and Willian plays in Abraham in the right channel. The ball back across is perfect and Pulisic is there to slam it home! 2-0, CHELSEA!!!
53min: Chelsea again finding it tough to clear the ball, but strong play from Abraham wins us a free kick in midfield.
52min: Willian tackled from behind by Chalobah; no call. Willian favoring his ankle following that.
50min: Pulisic on corner duty this time, but it’s a poor, low effort that’s easily cleared at the near post.
49min: Pulisic doesn’t get his pass right and Watford can break, but he tracks back and wins the ball from Deulofeu. Chelsea play out well and counter through Willian. The ball’s worked wide to Mount in the left channel and he takes aim with his left foot, but Foster’s there to make the key save again!
47min: Emerson whiffs on a kick and Watford are in! A square ball across the top present Grey with a great chance, but Zouma throws himself at the shot and makes the block! Letoff.
46min: Kabasele into the book for dragging back Emerson as he tried to combine with Pulisic on a break.
HALF-TIME: No changes for either side. Watford restart the game.
45+1min: Chelsea play out the rest of the half, and lead 1-0 into the break.
43min: Mount with a powerful long shot out of nowhere, which draws another fantastic save from Foster, who tips it onto the crossbar. Unlucky again!
Mason Mount or Frank Lampard?
— Chelsea FC USA (@ChelseaFCinUSA) November 2, 2019
So close to an absolute banger
: @NBCSportsSoccer #WATCHEpic.twitter.com/ieNdqGpvmh
42min: Azpi gives the ball away, but Kovacic wins it back and launches a counter. But Willian, Pulisic, and Abraham can’t work it out amongst themselves who should do what and the attack breaks down.
41min: Zouma blocks a powerful drive from Doucouré, but Chelsea are second best at the moment.
39min: Tomori shepherds Deulofeu out with the ball, but the referee gives a corner anyway. Chelsea clear the first ball, but Deulofeu gets it back wide right. He cuts inside and unleashes a powerful low drive in acres of space, which just misses the far post!
38min: A long ball for Abraham is defended well enough by Watford.
37min: Kovacic and Jorginho play keepy-uppy with each other to play out of defense. But the attack breaks down in the final third again as Chelsea slow down the passing.
35min: Mount takes the corner short and Chelsea end up working it all the way back to Kepa. That was pretty useless!
34min: Pulisic with a great through ball for Mount in the left channel. He cuts back towards Willian, but Watford get a leg in just ahead of him and clear for a corner.
30min: Willian tries a sneaky left-footed shot, cutting inside as Azpilicueta overlaps, but the shot is weak and easily gathered by Foster.
29min: Watford with a spell of pressure as Chelsea struggle to get out of our defensive third. Eventually, Pulisic and Willian combine to play out and relieve the pressure.
26min: Magnificent sliding tackle from Zouma prevents a Watford chance after Azpi lost a header and Tomori was deceived by a bounce.
25min: Kovačić’s pass is cut out, but Willian sprints back to prevent the counter. Chelsea eventually win the ball back in midfield and build again. Azpi’s ball down the line catches Mount on his heels however.
23min: Chelsea break the press with a nice skill from Pulisic, who finds Willian, who plays it wide for Azpilicueta. His cross hits a trailing leg and just misses the far post. Chelsea can’t make the corner count, but do win the ball back.
21min: Pulisic loses the ball in the final third and Watford try to counter through Deulofeu, but Kovacic shows good speed to cover and tackle the ball out for a throw.
20min: Cathcart now done; Mariappa replaces him.
19min: Willian takes the corner, finding Pulisic near the corner of the six. Pulisic loops a header towards the back post, which forces another magnificent save from Foster. Unlucky!
What a save on @cpulisic_10 pic.twitter.com/uQXeCPO44o
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) November 2, 2019
18min: Mount finds space, turns, and runs at the backline. He opts for the long shot, which is blocked, but the ball falls to Abraham, who’s in on goal but can’t finish as Foster pulls off a fantastic save low to his left. Willian’s pressure forces a corner on the clearance.
15min: Kovačić tries the Jorginho ball over the top, but the ball is too flat and strong for Mount. At the other end, Chelsea make a mess of a clearance, but Chalobah’s left-footed shot poses no danger for Kepa, who catches safely.
14min: Willian doing his 1-v-1 thing on the right, after Pulisic leads a break, whips one across the face of goal but no one’s there to finish it.
13min: Cathcart down for the hosts, seemingly without contact. He looks done for the day, but is back on his feet after treatment.
12min: Patient build-up from Chelsea sees the ball switched wide to Azpilicueta, who plays it infield to Willian. He spots Tammy’s run, but gets his cross all wrong and it drifts out for a goal kick.
9min: Chalobah trips Mount wide left in a good crossing position. Mount goes for goal. Not close.
7min: Watford looking for a response, but strong and calm play from Jorginho and Zouma gets Chelsea the goal kick.
5min: GOALLLL!!! TAMMMMYY!! Chelsea keeping up the pressure and a brilliant first-time ball from Jorginho cuts out the defenders, finding Tammy Abraham making the perfectly timed run. The finish is class and Chelsea lead, 1-0!
2min: Kovačić tries an ambitious throughball for Tammy, but it’s cut out. Then Pulisic takes on a couple, but his touch lets him down. Chelsea winning the ball back quickly each time.
1min: First long ball from Jorginho, looking for Pulisic over the top. But it goes through all the way to the goalkeeper.
KICK-OFF: Watford in black and yellow, Chelsea in all blue with the white socks. A minute of silence for Remembrance Day observed impeccably and we’re off. Chelsea get us started.
Chelsea take on the bottom side in the table, but in the Premier League, you can take nothing for granted.
Manchester United already lost at Bournemouth earlier today. As we go live, Arsenal are drawing at home to Wolves, Liverpool are losing at Villa, and City are losing drawing at home to Southampton. You can take nothing for granted in the Premier League.
(UPDATE: Even if both Liverpool and Manchester City came back to narrowly win. That’s why they’re title-contenders!)
bournemouth beating mufc, roma beat napoli, frankfurt thrashing bayern 5-1, liverpool and manchester city trailing, and arsenal shocking wolves 1-0 is all very nerve-wracking when you play away at watford on short rest
— n’golo kanté PALA-LALALA (@carIisIe) November 2, 2019
Let’s not take this great opportunity for three points for granted.
Watford starting lineup (3-4-3):
Foster | Cathcart (c), Dawson, Kabasele | Masina, Chalobah, Doucouré, Janmaat | Pereyra, Grey, Deulofeu
Substitutes from: Gomes, Mariappa, Hughes, Femenía, Success, Holebas, Foulquier
Chelsea starting lineup (4-2-3-1):
Arrizabalaga | Emerson, Tomori, Zouma, Azpilicueta (c) | Kovačić, Jorginho | Pulisic, Mount, Willian | Abraham
Substitutes from: Caballero, Alonso, James, Gilmour, Hudson-Odoi, Giroud, Batshuayi
Date / Time: Saturday, November 2, 2019, 17:30 GMT; 1:30pm EDT; 11pm IST
Venue: Vicarage Road, Watford, England
Referee: Anthony Taylor
On TV: Sky Sports Main Event (UK); NBCSN, Universo (USA); Star Sports Select HD1 (India); Canal+ Sport 2, SuperSport 3 (NGA); elsewhere
Streaming: Sky GO Extra (UK); NBC Sports Live, Universo Now (USA); HotStar (India); DStv Now (NGA)
Be excellent to each other, and party on, dudes!