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An inspired second-half performance by Brighton & Hove Albion ensured a well-deserved point for them against Chelsea as both teams start the year with a draw.
Everything was in control for Chelsea as captain César Azpilicueta put the away side in front inside 10 minutes. The Blues were in command in the first half but failed to make it count. A massive improvement was shown in the second half as the Seagulls looked more energetic and showed urgency in their game.
The home side created goalscoring chances in the second half only for Kepa Arrizabalaga to make three amazing saves and deny them. Midway through the half, Graham Potter used his final substitution to bring in club's record signing Alireza Jahanbakhsh. The decision paid off as the Iranian scored a sensational bicycle-kick to secure a well-deserved point for Brighton.
Chelsea fans heavily criticised the midfield of Kante, Jorginho and Mount. The London side already dropped points against bottom-half clubs like Everton, Southampton, West Ham, Bournemouth and now Brighton. For a team looking to cement their position in the top four, Chelsea have been way too inconsistent and have not created enough chances against teams who sit back and defend.
The new year brings in hope for Chelsea as the Blues can now dip into their £150m budget and can reinforce their rather sluggish looking attack. The South West London side are linked with players like Jordan Sancho, Moussa Dembele and Timo Werner. Any of them would be a great signing for Blues.
In conclusion, it was a frustrating day for Lampard and his men as they were unable to create many clear chances against Graham Potter’s well-drilled Seagulls side. Not killing off the game was Chelsea's undoing again. With all of that in mind, here's a look at the hits and flops from the match:
#3 Flop: Tammy Abraham
Though it was his initial attempt that helped the visitors take the lead, Tammy Abraham did not do much against Brighton. The 22-year old was slow and sluggish and did not link up well with the wingers. His poor decision of not passing the ball to Willian on the counter in the first half proved a decision that cost Chelsea the win.
Tammy was well shackled by Adam Webster and Lewis Dunk and had very few chances to strike for goal. The striker had one shot on target and was needlessly caught offside many times. A disappointing match for him meant that he could not add to his tally of 11 goals. A performance very different from the one he gave last game, where he scored the winner against London rivals Arsenal.
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#2 Flop: Yves Bissouma
It was a quiet match for Yves Bissouma as he was only chasing shadows in the 45 minutes that he played. Bissouma could not make his presence felt in the midfield which he usually does. The Mali international gave away the ball 15 times in the first half and had a shocking 59% accurate pass rate. The 23-year old tried his fancy flicks and swagger but showed little fight and had no significant impact on the game.
He was rightly subbed off at half time by Graham Potter for Irish international Aaron Connolly.
#1 Flop: Mason Mount
It was a difficult night for Mason Mount. He did what he does best, pressing high up and maintaining the pressure but much more is expected from a player when he starts as a #10. The case of Mount not being creative enough is something which has been a problem for Chelsea for a couple of months now.
The Chelsea youngster operated in some good areas and put pressure on the Brighton defence and midfield but he rarely offered anything going forward. Mount's struggle to play killer passes in the final third and find spaces to take shots is visible at the moment
A lively start to the season has rather slowed down for the 20-year old. The Chelsea youngster still has a lot to learn and prove if he wants to be compared to the likes of fellow Englishmen Jack Grealish and James Maddison.
#3 Hit: Reece James
A dominant performance by the young Chelsea defender as he was powerful and confident in his game today. His deliveries from wide areas were threatening and he was at his brilliant best from the start.
His link-up with Willian on the right flank was one of the few positives for Chelsea. The 20-year old was effective going in front and was rock solid at the back. Graham Potter had to switch the midfield shape early on to battle the threat of the young right-back.
Reece James lived up to his potential and hype and was one of the few Chelsea players who deserved to win today.
Also Read: Brighton and Hove Albion vs Chelsea: 5 Talking Points & Tactical Analysis
#2 Hit: Kepa Arrizabalaga
It has been a tough season for Spanish goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga but he was at his best in this game. Kepa had almost nothing to do in the first half as Chelsea were pretty comfortable but when he was tested, he replied with some amazing saves.
A strong hand to deny Leandro Trossard late in the first half made sure that Chelsea went to half-time with a lead. A stunning one-handed effort to deny 19-year old Aaron Connolly and a save using his feet against Neal Maupay's low, late attempt saved Chelsea from losing all three points.
Though he could not do anything about Jahanbakhsh's equalizer, it was for performances like these that Chelsea paid £71.6 million for the shot-stopper.
#1 Hit: Alireza Jahanbakhsh
Alireza Jahanbakhsh was Brighton's big name and record signing last season. A player with so much talent had a rather disappointing season as he managed zero goals and assists. This season though has been kinder to the Iranian. Coming back from injury, Jahanbakhsh got his first Premier League goal in 2019's last game and he started 2020 in acrobatic style.
The 26-year old was subbed on for Mooy in the 68th minute and he made the most of his chance. The winger had 100% successful take-ons and pass accuracy. He also created one big chance and scored that spectacular goal.
The handsome 84th minute equalizer was what the home side deserved after a spirited and lively performance, especially in the second half. On an individual basis, it was an amazing performance by Jahanbakhsh as he looks to cement his position in the starting line-up
