We Ain't Got No History - 2015-16 Premier League, Match 18: Chelsea vs. WatfordChampions of Europe!https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52884/21_SBN_002_We_Aint_Got_No_History_Favicon_32x32..png2015-12-28T02:02:00+00:00http://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/rss/stream/104305792015-12-28T02:02:00+00:002015-12-28T02:02:00+00:00Chelsea vs. Watford: Player Ratings
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/kjpWG81oOnU5B8-SqcnRW8zgHkM=/124x116:2109x1439/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/48444213/GettyImages-502502790.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Richard Heathcote/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>
<style type="text/css" media="screen">
.dots { background:url('http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1019395/dot.gif') repeat-x bottom; text-align:right}
.statcont { float:right;width:160px;padding:3px;margin:0px 0px 6px 12px;background-color:#EEEEEE}
.statwords {background-color: #EEEEEE;float:left}
</style>
</p>
<table style="width: 100%; border-bottom: 1px solid black;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="vertical-align: middle; font-size: 24px; border-bottom: 1px solid black;">
<b>1. DIEGO COSTA </b>- FC</td>
<td style="width: 50px; height: 50px; vertical-align: middle; font-size: 30px; text-align: center; color: white; background-color: black;"><i>8.1</i></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-size: 12px;" colspan="2">
<div class="statcont">
<div class="dots">
<span class="statwords">Minutes played</span><span><b>90</b></span>
</div>
<div class="dots">
<span class="statwords">Touches</span><span><b>43</b></span>
</div>
<div class="dots">
<span class="statwords">Passes</span><span><b>19/32</b></span>
</div>
<div class="dots">
<span class="statwords">Shots</span><span><b>2**/4</b></span>
</div>
<div class="dots">
<span class="statwords">Take-ons</span><span><b>0/4</b></span>
</div>
<div class="dots">
<span class="statwords">Fouls drawn</span><span><b>3</b></span>
</div>
<div class="dots">
<span class="statwords">Fouls committed</span><span><b>3</b></span>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">It took almost half the season, but last year's instant cult hero <span>Diego Costa</span> has finally climbed back to the top of the player ratings podium. His two goals nearly doubled his total output in the Premier League for the season. He has six in all competitions.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">Welcome back, Diego Costa. And also, goodbye Diego Costa, at least for the next match. The Diego Costa hat-trick: two goals and a yellow card. (Maybe we should've given him the actual hat-trick by letting him take the penalty kick, no?)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">With the automatic one-match suspension for his fifth yellow of the season, Costa has played his final match of 2015. The year's been one to largely forget, personally, despite the two <a href="https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Chelsea</a> trophies. After a tremendous start, which included a brace at Swansea in January, the striker has struggled for goals for much of the calendar year, for both club and country.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">Hopefully Saturday's performance is a sign of things to come in the new year, rather than a memory of things that used to be once upon a time.</div>
<div></div>
<div></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p> </p>
<table style="width: 100%; border-bottom: 1px solid black;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="vertical-align: middle; font-size: 24px; border-bottom: 1px solid black;">
<b>2. WILLIAN </b>- AMR</td>
<td style="width: 50px; height: 50px; vertical-align: middle; font-size: 30px; text-align: center; color: white; background-color: black;"><i>7.0</i></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-size: 12px;" colspan="2">
<div class="statcont">
<div class="dots">
<span class="statwords">Minutes played</span><span><b>90</b></span>
</div>
<div class="dots">
<span class="statwords">Touches</span><span><b>60</b></span>
</div>
<div class="dots">
<span class="statwords">Passes</span><span><b>47*/68</b></span>
</div>
<div class="dots">
<span class="statwords">Shots</span><span><b>0/3</b></span>
</div>
<div class="dots">
<span class="statwords">Take-ons</span><span><b>1/3</b></span>
</div>
<div class="dots">
<span class="statwords">Tackles</span><span><b>2</b></span>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">One player who's not struggled much at all during 2015 is Willian.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">Many questioned his spot in the starting lineup after his big money transfer in 2013, but all he's done since is oust every other candidate for the Chelsea right wing spot. Mata, De Bruyne, Schürrle, Salah, Cuadrado have all been vanquished like a pride of lions.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">This season, Willian has even added a bit of final product to his game as well, scoring plenty of free kicks, taking excellent set pieces, and providing gorgeous assists like this one for Costa's second goal on Saturday.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">If Willian played for <a href="https://theshortfuse.sbnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Arsenal</a> this would be everywhere. <a href="https://t.co/Scyx5KFSIP">pic.twitter.com/Scyx5KFSIP</a></p>
— Hugh Beasley (@HughcfcBeasley) <a href="https://twitter.com/HughcfcBeasley/status/681186914997764096">December 27, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<div style="text-align: justify;"></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"></div>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p> </p>
<table style="width: 100%; border-bottom: 1px solid black;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="vertical-align: middle; font-size: 24px; border-bottom: 1px solid black;">
<b>3. MIKEL </b>- MC</td>
<td style="width: 50px; height: 50px; vertical-align: middle; font-size: 30px; text-align: center; color: white; background-color: black;"><i>7.0</i></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="vertical-align: top; font-size: 12px;" colspan="2">
<div class="statcont">
<div class="dots">
<span class="statwords">Minutes played</span><span><b>45</b></span>
</div>
<div class="dots">
<span class="statwords">Touches</span><span><b>41</b></span>
</div>
<div class="dots">
<span class="statwords">Passes</span><span><b>34/37</b></span>
</div>
<div class="dots">
<span class="statwords">Tackles</span><span><b>2</b></span>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">Just barely missing out on second spot is old solider <span>John Obi Mikel</span>. (Actually, only 28 still.)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">Alongside Branislav Ivanovic and <span>John Terry</span>, he's the last remaining player from Guus Hiddink's first interim era, so perhaps the new man in charge trusts him implicitly. Mikel played a key role in Hiddink's 4-3-3s in 2009; it would not be surprising to see that happen again this time around.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">This was also Mikel's 350th appearance for Chelsea Football Club, becoming only the 21st player in our 110-year history to reach that milestone. Congrats!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p><i>STARTERS:</i><br>Courtois (<b>6.3</b>), Azpilicueta (<b>6.3</b>), Terry (<b>6.3</b>), Cahill (<b>5.6</b>), Ivanović (<b>5.3</b>), Matić (<b>4.8</b>), Fàbregas (<b>4.6</b>), Pedro (<b>6.0</b>), Oscar (<b>5.3</b>), Willian (<b>7.0</b>), Costa (<b>8.1</b>)</p>
<p><i>SUBS:</i><br>Mikel (<b>7.0</b>), Hazard (<b>6.5</b>)</p>
<p><i>OVERALL:<br></i> <a href="https://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/5856143/Untitled.0.png"> <figure class="e-image">
<img alt="2015-16 player ratings watford H" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/jXSDpFKkYjOKfyKg16e5dZnMpgk=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/5856143/Untitled.0.png">
</figure>
</a></p>
https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2015/12/28/10671378/player-ratings-chelsea-watford-man-of-the-matchDavid Pasztor2015-12-27T16:55:09+00:002015-12-27T16:55:09+00:00Oscar, Willian on Chelsea's bad luck, Mourinho
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ghqijTthWOxbJE5JiJzcdxBgi_Y=/0x0:2076x1384/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/48440485/GettyImages-502538404.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Richard Heathcote/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Following a dazzling performance against a <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://rokerreport.sbnation.com/">Sunderland</a> team that gave Chelsea plenty of room to work, Oscar couldn't quite do the same against a Watford side known for their compact defense. He had a chance to redeem himself through a penalty kick that could have brought three points for Chelsea, but a fateful slip, not unlike a certain fateful slip in 2008 in Moscow, made him balloon the ball well over the bar.</p>
<p>In an interview to ESPN Brasil, Oscar commented on <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/">Chelsea's</a> "bad luck" in the Watford game - including his own missed penalty kick.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>"Today we had a lot of bad luck. First, [Nemanja] Matic's penalty was a result of bad luck, with the ball hitting his hand; Watford's second goal took a deflection and got in and I missed the penalty by the end of game. I think we didn't deserve to draw, we deserved to win but that's how football is."</p>
<p style="text-align: right;">-Oscar; source: <a href="http://espn.uol.com.br/video/566680_oscar-perde-penalti-em-empate-do-chelsea-tivemos-muita-ma-sorte-willian-fala-sobre-saida-de-mourinho" target="_blank">ESPN Brasil</a></p>
</blockquote>
<p>That's how football has been in many games this season, unfortunately.</p>
<p>Regarding José Mourinho's sacking, Oscar revealed a few interesting things, including hints at what may have been actual discord inside the dressing room between "some" players and the manager. But for him, it's time for the players to move on.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>"When the results don't come it's quite difficult. A lot of players start to get changed in the line-ups and some of them don't like this situation, but now the moment is gone. We have to keep our heads up, move on and get the results that we need."</p>
<p style="text-align: right;">-Oscar; source: <a href="http://espn.uol.com.br/video/566680_oscar-perde-penalti-em-empate-do-chelsea-tivemos-muita-ma-sorte-willian-fala-sobre-saida-de-mourinho" target="_blank">ESPN Brasil</a></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Willian also offered his thoughts on José Mourinho's dismissal, saying that the players should only focus on playing football and adapt to Hiddink's way of work after Mou's departure.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>"These decisions are made by the board; we as players must only think about playing football and adapt to the oncoming manager. So we are adapting to Guus Hiddink's work [at the moment]."</p>
<p>"[Mourinho] never looked to bring in any issues from the outside to the dressing room. He never was that kind of manager. Unfortunately things weren't happening the way we were looking to."</p>
<p style="text-align: right;">-Willian; source: <a href="http://espn.uol.com.br/video/566680_oscar-perde-penalti-em-empate-do-chelsea-tivemos-muita-ma-sorte-willian-fala-sobre-saida-de-mourinho" target="_blank">ESPN Brasil</a></p>
</blockquote>
<p>While we would all be feeling a lot better had Oscar managed to convert his penalty kick, at least we didn't lose yet another match at Stamford Bridge. Hopefully we can still use this result to build from, as two tough Top 6 away tests await at <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://thebusbybabe.sbnation.com/">Manchester United</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/epl/teams/crystal-palace">Crystal Palace</a>.</p>
https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2015/12/27/10669128/oscar-willian-reaction-chelsea-watford-mourinhoFellipe Miranda2015-12-27T14:31:00+00:002015-12-27T14:31:00+00:00Hiddink praises Costa for goals, minimal antics
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/tAZWNUVgRy8SSgwtNz9yYmuNTHM=/0x0:3463x2309/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/48440463/GettyImages-502505774.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Clive Rose/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>After being (semi-)booed off the pitch by his supporters at Stamford Bridge against <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://rokerreport.sbnation.com/">Sunderland</a>, Chelsea striker <span>Diego Costa</span> gave a nice rebuttal by scoring a brace against Watford in yesterday's game. Unfortunately, Costa also had a few of his usual Costa moments and ended up picking a fifth yellow card in domestic competition, which will keep him out of a very important game against <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://thebusbybabe.sbnation.com/">Manchester United</a> tomorrow.</p>
<p>In his first game back with Chelsea, Guus Hiddink praised Costa for his performance but also served a warning about said temperament.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>"He [Costa] focused himself where he's good, and there he's very dangerous. That's important. He's not wasting extra energy where he shouldn't, and he did that. He is out for United, with a fifth [booking]. Which means we have to think how to solve that problem. It's a pity because he'd put in a good performance. So we need to solve that problem in the next 48 hours."</p>
<p>"When Diego was booed - whether it was right or wrong - he had a very good reaction as a professional when he was substituted by Steve [Holland, against Sunderland]. I think that made him think: 'How should I go on?'. He showed that [against Watford]. I give you no guarantee on the future because, when people are emotional with their temperament, anything can happen in the game. That must show in attitude."</p>
<p style="text-align: right;">-Guus Hiddink; source: <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.telegraph.co.uk%2Fsport%2Ffootball%2Fteams%2Fchelsea%2F12070186%2FChelsea-manager-Guus-Hiddink-admits-he-cannot-control-emotional-Diego-Costa.html&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fweaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com%2F2015%2F12%2F27%2F10669108%2Fguus-hiddink-diego-costa-chelsea-fc-watford-interview" target="_blank" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener">Telegraph</a></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Certainly a shift in tone from Mourinho, who almost encouraged Costa to feed off the emotion, to be the box office draw with both goals and flash-points against opposing defenders.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>"When everyone knows what he is capable of and knows he must not go into whatever the trap might be, then you focus on your first job. He's good at it and he showed it with two terrific goals."</p>
<p style="text-align: right;">-Guus Hiddink; source: <a href="http://www.espnfc.us/chelsea/story/2770693/diego-costa-focused-on-strengths-chelsea-boss-guus-hiddink">ESPN</a></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Costa's overall performance might not have been up to the standard he himself set last year, but his movement off the ball as well as his first-touch and finishing were the best we've seen all season. Diego Costa returning to his previous confidence levels would certainly help <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/">Chelsea's</a> attempts of a comeback the rest of the season, especially if he can continue to minimize his antics on the pitch.</p>
https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2015/12/27/10669108/guus-hiddink-diego-costa-chelsea-fc-watford-interviewFellipe Miranda2015-12-27T04:00:00+00:002015-12-27T04:00:00+00:00Hiddink on Cesc sub: Midfield needed more balance
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/fPEhJwSyvtRY2P1c_5-roUy20zM=/0x0:2440x1627/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/48439797/GettyImages-502500768.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Clive Rose/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Interim manager Guus Hiddink's starting lineup may have been the definition of whatever the opposite of bold is — it was basically the first-choice eleven, minus a not fully fit <span>Eden Hazard</span>, that won the Premier League last season at a canter but has failed so spectacularly this season — but at his very next opportunity, he made the presence-announcing bold move. Cesc Fàbregas, Mourinho's no.1 fan (or no.1 villain, depending on which narrative you believe), had been doing his usual Cesc Fàbregas (of 2015) things for the first 45 minutes, leaving the defense well exposed while failing to truly make an impact on the attacking end.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>"Today I liked our intensity but we also have to look for a balance in the team. It's a very attacking-orientated team."</p>
<p>"When we have a midfield with all creative players it's beautiful but sometimes you need a balance and I thought John Obi gave us that balance. When you have the creative players such as Matic, Oscar, Willian coming inside and Cesc as well, sometimes you have to choose in a different way."</p>
<p style="text-align: right;">-Guus Hiddink; source: <a href="http://www.chelseafc.com/news/latest-news/2015/12/final-whistle-verdict--important-reaction.html">Chelsea FC</a></p>
</blockquote>
<p>John Obi-Wan Kenomikel, bringing balance to the midfield since 2006. The ever steady Mikel, one of the three players left over from Hiddink's first reign didn't immediately solidify the midfield, but eventually things did settle down and <a href="https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Chelsea</a> were once again supremely unlucky to not walk away with the full three points.</p>
<p>We'll have to see if this tactical decision is made into a full-time change. Mikel was a key cog of Hiddink's midfield back in 2009 and he could very well feature more heavily once again than it had become the norm under Mourinho, especially if we revert to 3-man midfield and a 4-3-3 formation that many would prefer.</p>
https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2015/12/27/10668408/hiddink-explains-cesc-fabregas-half-time-substitutionDavid Pasztor2015-12-26T17:59:00+00:002015-12-26T17:59:00+00:00Hiddink rues luck, praises 'character'
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/8SHvli3B4CYNIUn6sOY2_ZUQHNY=/1192x37:2857x1147/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/48437487/GettyImages-502533706.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Richard Heathcote/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Character! At least we had character.</p> <p><i>The more things change...</i></p>
<p>Two more dropped points by Chelsea Football Club, which should just about put any more hopeful talk of pressuring the top four to bed.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Hiddink: "It was an intense game. We conceded unlucky goals - the penalty and the second one deflected."</p>
— Dan Levene (@danlevene) <a href="https://twitter.com/danlevene/status/680804992685621249">December 26, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<p>
<script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Guus stresses the importance of the team's reaction after going 2-1 down and says we showed plenty of character to come back. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CFC?src=hash">#CFC</a></p>
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChelseaFC/status/680805116979625984">December 26, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<p>
<script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</p>
<p>At times, the performance was improved. Yet, just as we have all season, we found ways to shoot ourselves in the foot, to concede silly goals, to make individual mistakes, to squander good attacking opportunities. Not to mention, miss another penalty kick.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Guus says Oscar is the number one penalty taker which is why he took the penalty. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CFC?src=hash">#CFC</a></p>
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChelseaFC/status/680806204919144448">December 26, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<p>
<script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Hiddink on Oscar's penalty miss: "He shouldn't have put on slicks, he should have put normal tyres."</p>
— Dan Levene (@danlevene) <a href="https://twitter.com/danlevene/status/680806303514685441">December 26, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<p>
<script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</p>
<p>At least Diego Costa looked dangerous again, though he again managed to get suspended in a most untimely fashion after getting his fifth yellow for a moment of hotheadedness. Rémy against Manchester United then?</p>
<blockquote lang="en" class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Hiddink on Costa: "He is out. Which means that we have to think how to solve that problem. It is a pity as he was moving into a performance"</p>
— Dan Levene (@danlevene) <a href="https://twitter.com/danlevene/status/680805352078733313">December 26, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<p>
<script charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<blockquote lang="en" class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Guus says Diego Costa showed his best today. The manager says it is a pity he is suspended for Monday's game. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CFC?src=hash">#CFC</a></p>
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChelseaFC/status/680805280511324160">December 26, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<p>
<script charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p><i>...the more they stay the same.</i></p>
https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2015/12/26/10667304/hiddink-manager-reaction-chelsea-2-2-watfordDavid Pasztor2015-12-26T17:54:52+00:002015-12-26T17:54:52+00:00Missed penalty costs Blues win against Watford
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/FjUcK-P06tL4IsQsPm-zvoYLtow=/0x0:3343x2229/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/48437467/GettyImages-502507432.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Richard Heathcote/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Jose Mourinho's season started with an intensely annoying 2-2 home draw against a team Chelsea might have expected to beat. So too did Gus Hiddink's. Given the chance to earn back to back Premier League wins for the first time all season and buoyed by a good performance against Sunderland last weekend, the Blues contrived to gift a point to Watford. </p>
<p>That's mostly thanks to a pair of utterly ridiculous* penalties. I doubt we'll ever really get to the bottom of what Nemanja Matic was thinking when he flapped his arm at Ben Watson's corner in the first half, but Oscar's late miss at 2-2 is somewhat more explicable: we are the victims of some sort of devastating cosmic curse. If anyone's been building a home on ancient burial grounds or something, please stop now.</p>
<p><em>*Normally when we describe penalties as ridiculous, we're implying that the referee made a mistake, but Andre Marriner got both decisions 100 percent right, and had a reasonably good game.</em> </p>
<p>Watford aren't a bad side, although our metric for 'bad side' will have changed a little over the past few months. They came into Stamford Bridge a weekend removed from humiliating Liverpool 3-0 at Vicarage Road, a credible performance for any team, let alone a newly-promoted one, and although the opening exchanges went almost entirely in Chelsea's favour, there was little sense of them collapsing a la professional collapse machines Sunderland.</p>
<p>In fact, they defended very well. For the first 10 minutes, the Blues had something above 75 percent possession, but the visitors were organised well enough to limit our chances to a series of corner kicks. Had the match continued in that mode, Chelsea might at least have been confident in keeping a clean sheet. Alas, it rapidly became apparent that the Hornets were merely drawing out our sting so that they might go on the offensive.</p>
<p>With Cesc Fabregas committing himself up the pitch in support of the attack, there was a disturbingly large hole in the midfield, and Watford threw themselves into said hole with commendable enthusiasm. If not for some strange misses from on-fire Odion Ighalo, the Blues might have found themselves behind as early as the 18th minute -- a snap volley in acres of space plus a free header from a corner* were both deposited uncharacteristically wide. </p>
<p><em>*For our purposes, it's safe to characterise any header Cesar Azpilicueta is challenging for as a 'free' one.</em> </p>
<p>Chelsea had completely failed to test Heurelho Gomes while they were in control of the match, so naturally they scored once they went onto the back foot. A smart pass from Willian to Diego Costa won the Blues their (approximately) 4,510th corner of the match, and for once we were able to do something with it. John Terry and Gary Cahill both went for the initial cross, and this apparently confused the Watford defence enough for them to let Costa turn and volley the loose ball home.</p>
<p>Scoring the opener gave Chelsea an obvious lift, which might have taken us all the way to the half had it not been for the previously-mentioned moment of insanity from Matic. The penalty was set up by a foul from Cahill on Ighalo, which led to Matic deflecting Jurado's shot out for a corner, which led to Watson lofting in a high ball to the centre of the box, and <em>that</em> somehow led to Matic waving his arms around despite being presented with a straightforward clearance. It's not every day you see a player manage to get called for a handball when a cross is literally going to hit them in the face, but this isn't an everyday season.</p>
<p>Troy Deeney sent Thibaut Courtois the wrong way to make it 1-1. </p>
<p>Halftime brought with it a change. Hiddink, perhaps annoyed at the weak play of his midfield, or perhaps looking ahead to Monday's match at Old Trafford, withdrew Fabregas for Eternal Hero John Mikel Obi. If it helped, it only helped a little -- Watford were still able to attack, and it didn't take very long for them to take a deeply annoying lead. </p>
<p>Ighalo has scored by the tonne this season, and he was never going to keep spurning chances, especially if we insisted on gifting them to him. One of our defenders gave him ample assistance just before the hour mark, giving him room to take a shot by backing off him in a blind panic, and then helpfully applying a massive deflection on said shot that wrong-footed Courtois. To complete the picture, I'll suggest that the defender in question wore the expression of a confused and perhaps frightened squirrel for this entire exchange. Or I could just say it was Cahill. You probably guessed.</p>
<p>Chelsea have been playing reasonably well even after falling behind of late, and Ighalo's unfortunate strike pushed us into a higher gear. Watford were pinned back into their own half and subjected to a bombardment of crosses which gave Gomes plenty to do but failed to generate much in the way of clean chances. Instead, we found the equaliser through a different and rather unexpected route: the near-mythical 'through ball to Costa'.</p>
<p>Yes, the striker was perhaps a hair offside when Willian found him with a defence-splitting diagonal, but a) I don't care and b) his finish was good enough that it's hard to blame him for a fractionally mistimed run that the officials didn't even notice anyway. Having left Craig Cathcart and Miguel Britos in the dust, Costa proceeded to round Gomes and roll the ball just inside the far post. It was 2-2, and Chelsea had new life.</p>
<p>We'd have had a lot more than that if Oscar hadn't had one of the world's classic penalty whoopsies with 10 minutes left to play. Eden Hazard, returning from the injury that knocked him out of the Leicester City loss, managed to torch the Hornets defence within seconds of appearing as a substitute, winning a penalty by baiting Velon Behrami into a ridiculous challenge from a fairly innocuous position. Oscar scored from the spot against Sunderland, but this time he slipped as he was taking the kick, scooping the ball over the crossbar with the sort of strike that would have seen him sent off if it had been applied to someone's legs.</p>
<p>The visitors probably had the best chance to win it late on, although it was Chelsea who applied most of the pressure in the closing stages. Ighalo and Deeney combined to generate a free shot for the latter with Courtois committed, but Cesar Azpilicueta rescued his goalkeeper with a deft block. There was, of course, the late, long-range hit from Mikel that buzzed just wide, and I'd kick a frightening number of puppies to live in a universe in which it had swung inside the post. But alas, I live in this universe, and this universe likes upsetting me.</p>
<p>Oh, and Costa got himself suspended against Manchester United with a late yellow card. Hurray!</p>
https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2015/12/26/10667352/chelsea-vs-watford-final-score-match-reportGraham MacAree2015-12-26T16:51:00+00:002015-12-26T16:51:00+00:00Chelsea 2-2 Watford: React & Rate
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/y9JZzCOvYrhPXnWP5Kroa8hHb6I=/0x0:3272x2181/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/48437163/GettyImages-502505778.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Clive Rose/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The more things change, the more they stay the same. Same lineup, same result. At least we gave Manchester United a new manager, right?<span> </span></p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><span>Chelsea started and finished the game well. We lost our way in the middle unfortunately. Mikel's introduction did help stabilize the midfield.</span></li>
<li><span>More luck not going our way. Matic handball. Oscar slip. I suppose an argument could be made that Costa was offside on his second, so maybe that was a bit of luck. Still, on the balance, we once again lost the battle against the cosmic forces. Par for the course this season, really.</span></li>
<li><span>Eden Hazard's goalless streak rumbles on. </span></li>
<li><span>Costa did score a couple, which is great, but his yellow card means he will miss Monday's game at Old Trafford.</span></li>
<li><span>Willian's corners were good, but his free kicks were well off today.</span></li>
<li><span>Chelsea remain 15th.</span></li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><iframe src="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1uMavG5KrfnkIPb4NvYzqB8uW8IhvlhPG4O19YfuFL3E/viewform?embedded=true" width="100%" height="500" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0">Loading...</iframe></p>
https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2015/12/26/10667088/chelsea-2-2-watford-premier-league-post-match-reactionDavid Pasztor2015-12-26T16:26:29+00:002015-12-26T16:26:29+00:00Diego Costa ties it up at 2-2<h3 class="link-title"><a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/sportscreamers/status/680787008114012160">Diego Costa ties it up at&nbsp;2-2</a></h3>
<div class="description"><p><p>Lovely pass from Willian, lovely finish from Diego.</p></p></div>
https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2015/12/26/10667146/diego-costa-ties-it-up-at-2-2David Pasztor