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Mourinho has created a machine that knows how to win. Each player is a well oiled part in a beautiful and efficient system. On their own, most of them could probably get a 9 or 10. But they were all so solid that one has to nitpick to find faults.
Boxing day kicked off with an east-west London derby at Stamford Bridge. The tone of the game could be sensed in the line-ups itself. Mourinho, switching back to the attacking 4-2-3-1 with Oscar behind the striker and Fabregas pulling the strings in midfield. Sam Allardyce opted for a more defensive approach dropping Song and top scorer Sakho for Nolan and the pacey Valencia.
Player Ratings (1-10; 10 being the highest. Players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)
GK Thibaut Courtois, 8.5 : Didn’t have a single shot to deal with in the first half. But displayed just what is required from goalkeepers of big teams. Was aware and upto the challenge when called upon. Was quickly off his line to smother Valencia when he got away from Terry. Gathered crosses with his usual calmness and assurance. Got lucky when a shot from Amalfitano went past him only to be saved by the post.
CB John Terry, 8: Captain, Leader, Legend. Terry scored his second in as many, and it was a very important one again. Broke the deadlock and disrupted Big Sam’s plans of holding on the match. Completely frustrated Andy Carroll but made a couple of uncharacteristic errors later when he was beaten by Valencia and then by Amalfitano.
CB Gary Cahill, 8: Had a couple of chances early in the match, heading over early on and later drilling his shot straight into Adrian from close range. Expecting him to try to curl the ball to the far post might be too much for a centre half. Defensively was calm and composed, winning almost everything in the air. But misjudged the ball which led to the rare chance that West Ham had.
RB Branislav Ivanovic, 9 : Typical performance from the wing back. Solid defensively and always available on the attack. Previously found wanting with the final cross at times, but was great with the delivery today. Notably, an early cross which was delivered pinpoint to volley for Costa, could have been an amazing goal.
LB Cesar Azpilicueta, 8.5: You shall not pass, nor shall you cross. The right footed left back is turning out to be one of the best one-on-one defenders in the league. Did not give the in-form Downing a whiff of a chance. Downing wasn’t allowed to cut inside nor was he allowed to deliver crosses from out wide.
CDM Nemanja Matic, 9 : The only match that Chelsea have lost this season was when Matic was suspended. He is the pillar on which the artistry of the Chelsea frontline stands. He broke up the play when there was a threat, his distribution was great, he drove forward with the ball when required, he even had a shot from outside the box that almost went in. In all, he was the perfect holding midfielder.
CM, Cesc Fabregas, 8: Took the corner that led to the goal, dictated play in midfield, was involved in almost every move. He literally kept Chelsea ticking. His telepathy with Costa was a delight to watch. He held his position well when Matic got forward. If he could get better with his shooting, there will leave nothing to be desired.
CAM, Oscar, 7: Looked a little rusty to start off with, missed a brilliant chance at the start of the game, and had a few touches which were not up to his usual standards. But he got into the game as it progressed. Had a few exquisite exchanges with Hazard and Costa. Was impressive with his work rate and even came close to scoring with a free kick in the second half.
RAM, Willian, 8: How often is a Brazilian attacking midfielder praised for his work rate? Willian has a great engine to go with his dazzling footwork. He seems to have boundless energy. There was an instance in the match when he powered through the midfield, had a good shot on goal and immediately sprinted back to the half line to defend. Typical Mourinho player.
LAM, Eden Hazard, 9.5: There were doubts about him starting due to an ankle injury. It certainly did not look so, even for a moment. He held people off, beat them with his trickery, made those incisive passes, tracked back to defend, he did everything except score. He has transformed into a complete player over the past couple of years. One particular move in the first half, in which he exchanged passes with Willian and Oscar was a delight to watch. His control in tight spaces is magical. He put the ball through the legs of Winston Reid a couple of times and was a nightmare for the entire West Ham backline. If he starts scoring more, he could look to get into that league with Messi and Ronaldo.
CF Diego Costa, 9.5: Probably the best all round centre forward in the league at this moment. He can hold the ball up, link-up with the likes of Hazard and Oscar, run-in behind the defenders, shove and push people around, and of course score. And he did everything in this game. He has great control for someone so big and strong. He headed the ball to Terry for him to tap in the opener. In the second half, he sold a brilliant dummy to Jenkinson and finished with amazing accuracy with his left foot.
F Drogba: Came on for Costa in the final ten minutes. Was first to everything in the air, and almost played a great pass to get Hazard through on goal.
M Ramires: Came on for Willian. Was typically full of energy and running. Was a part of a couple of counter attacks later on.
M Mikel: Brought on by Mourinho for Oscar, to give more protection to the backline.
