'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
#3 Trevoh Chalobah
Premier League giants Chelsea are widely lauded for the attackers and midfielders they have at their disposal, not particularly for the men who guard the goal. If you pay heed to the hype, you might even completely forget about Chelsea’s exceptional defenders — players who have been pivotal in Chelsea’s recent UEFA Champions League exploits.
Trevoh Chalobah, who rose through Chelsea’s youth system, is yet to establish himself as an outright starter for the Blues. However, if his performance in the first Premier League game of the season is anything to go by, he could very easily cement a spot in the team over the course of the season.
Not only did Chalobah score an exceptional goal — his first for Chelsea — in the 58th minute, but he also did not put a step wrong throughout the game. He neutralized the Crystal Palace attackers and was exceptionally clinical in the final third of the pitch. After the performance against Palace, we would be surprised not to see him in the team against Arsenal in gameweek 2 of the Premier League next weekend.
#2 Mateo Kovacic
Former Real Madrid man Mateo Kovacic has settled in nicely at Stamford Bridge. He is now one of the first names on the team sheet for the Blues and has nurtured the ability to dictate play in the middle of the pitch.
Mateo Kovacic lined up alongside Marcos Alonso and Jorginho in midfield on Saturday. He was easily the most explosive component of Chelsea's midfield and was regularly venturing up the pitch. He completed 76 passes with an accuracy of 97% and created the most chances in the match (3).
He was the architect behind Chalobah’s goal in the 58th minute and created a couple more golden opportunities for his team, which they failed to convert.
#1 Marcos Alonso
Since joining from Fiorentina in 2016, Marcos Alonso has had to adapt to many coaches and systems. He has excelled as a full-back and centre-back, and is currently being deployed in an advanced wing-back role under Thomas Tuchel. Unsurprisingly, he is proving to be quite a handful in this position as well.
In the first Premier League game of the season, Alonso was seen running up and down the left-hand channel, providing an extra outlet in the final third. Not only did he combine well with the midfield and attack, but he was also quite trigger happy, keeping two of his three shots on target.
His first Premier League goal of the campaign came from a set-piece on the right hand side of the pitch. Alonso stood over the dead ball just outside the box and dispatched an unsavable curler with his left foot. The dip and swerve was too much for the Crystal Palace keeper to handle as he remained rooted to the spot and watched the ball hit the back of the net. Nothing like a good old freekick to dampen the opposition’s spirit.
