Alisson (LIV 6.0) – I
can’t actually recall a decent save Alisson has made this season. Aside from
that absolute worldie that was in no way straight at him in the Champions
League of course. He made none here and watched his side concede three goals to
Palace. A team who have only scored six goals at home this season but have
matched that away to City and Liverpool. He’s a fine keeper obviously, backed
up by an even finer defence. But you know… on the rare occasions his team does
actually need him, they could do with him turning up.
Morgan (LEI 4.5) – Like
a lumbering zombie in search of fresh meat, Wes Morgan is now 35 and does not
have the legs to play at this level. That is not to do a wonderful professional
and servant to the club a disservice, but it’s curious that Leicester bought Jonny
Evans only to not start him in a game such as this. Morgan almost rescued himself in this match,
and indeed his goal will probably land him a spot in Garth Crooks’ Team of the
Weak, but this was a desperate performance at the heart of a defence that was
softer than a sunken sponge cake. Jota didn’t have to work hard for any of his
goals and indeed could have scored 4 or 5 such was the defending around him at
times. Puel and Leicester remain a curious and impossible to predict team – but
in truth, in a season of few surprises, we should probably all be grateful for
that.
Vinagre (WOL 4.3) – Picked
ahead of Matt Doherty it’s safe to say that the young Portuguese wing back did
little to claim a full time spot in the team. A successful wing back should be
able to tackle, run and cross – but Vinagre can only run. If you’re going to ignore
protecting your defence, you need to be able to be of use going forward. Time
and time again on Saturday however, Vinagre broke forward and either chose the wrong
option or failed to execute the right pass. He was taken off for Doherty for
the final 20 minutes and is not likely to trouble the first team again.
Digne (EVE 5.3) – Following
up a fine assist and 12 point FPL haul last week, Lucas Digne scored an own
goal to record a second minus figure of the season. Indeed, his last 8 matches
have produced the dizzying rollercoaster of 10, 3, -1, 17, 2, 1, 12 and -1.
He seems to be involved in a high stakes shoot out with
James Maddison for the most wildly inconsistent player this season.
Owners have to accept that they will be partying in Vegas
one minute, and losing at bridge to their Nana the next.
Cresswell (WHU 5.0) –
Poor at the back and woeful going forward, Aaron Cresswell has regressed
this season and this match was indicative of that. Now 29, he should really be
settled as the first choice full back for a solid top flight team – yet he has
had to compete with Arthur Masuaku for much of the season. Which is a bit like
being told you’re being demoted at work to give the lad from work experience a
crack. Having finally won his place back this performance would have done him
no favours. Pinned back by the excellent Brooks… who is quite literally the lad
from work experience – he missed half his tackles and aerial duels; and when he
did go forward managed to put over just 3 crosses in 90 minutes, none of which
found a team mate.
Kante (CHE 5.0) – Okay,
we’ve all had a bit of fun. But this has to stop now. I’m all for Chelsea
managers calling out their players – after all no club has veered more
dramatically from Champions to utter also-rans over the past decade – but one
could hardly blame them fully when they see managers come and go like the
changing of the guards; and each one bringing their own rigid set of tactics
with them.
Kante is the world’s best deep lying DM – to see him often
as the most forward Chelsea player against Arsenal feels like an affront to the
beautiful game. He cannot shoot – like at all – but he also can’t do the bit
which comes before that. He is being asked to dribble. He can’t. He has a
success rate of 46% this season. He has been dispossessed 37 times and tackled
55 times. That is already more than the entire
of last season. He is losing the ball because he is being asked to run with it –
which he can’t do. Or at least not as well as what he should be doing – which is
protecting his back line.
So far Kante has made 33 interceptions and 154 recoveries.
That’s an average of 8 key defensive contributions per match. Last season he
averaged 12 – 50% higher. That’s okay though right – because Jorginho is doing
that job for him? Wrong – he’s averaging below Kante this season, let alone
what the Frenchman was achieving last.
And bear in mind Chelsea didn’t even have a great season
last year. Indeed, their manager got sacked off the back of it.
You can blame the inconsistent Luiz, the woeful defensively
Marcos Alonso – or the barely bothered Hazard or Willian – but the bottom line
is that all top teams need a functioning midfield first and foremost. The
current first choice front three for Chelsea are not working in any way that is
being asked of them. It needs to change. Sarri needs to change. Or else he will
suffer the same fate as everyone before him and a new manager will come in to
move everyone around again.
By which time Hazard will be at Real Madrid.
Camarasa (CAR 4.6) – Camarasa
has been a decent signing for Cardiff this season – a busy number 10 who can
create as well as score. He was as poor as anyone on Saturday though, as
Cardiff came up against a Newcastle side that were better all over the park.
Which is a statement to drive fear into any Bluebird fan. The on loan Real
Betis man did not once get in the box and created just a single, half chance in
90 joyless minutes.
Willian (CHE 7.2) – Regardless
of the system, Willian is in god awful form. He doesn’t look like he can beat a
man anymore and his distribution is like a drunken teenager playing paintball.
Above all though, he really, really
doesn’t look like he cares.
No wonder Hudson-Odoi wants to leave when he can’t get in
the team above him.
Richarlison (EVE 6.8)
– Since his electric start to the season, Richarlison has now played
Fulham, Cardiff, Palace, Leicester and Bournemouth, Southampton and Brighton –
the first five at home – and has scored in none of them. Indeed he seems to be
getting worse, not better, at leading the line in Silva’s system. He had just a
single touch in the box on Saturday and indeed only made 23 touches in the
entire match. I don’t like to hang my hat on xG at the best of times… but when it’s
0.00 it’s pretty obvious someone isn’t likely to score.
On the one hand criticizing Everton is a little unfair. They
can only really finish 7th and are 8th.
But on the other – they have two players who cost £100m as
their 9 and 10 and are struggling to break down some of the worst defences in
the league.
Given they almost never keep clean sheets – Silva has
problems wherever he looks.
Barnes (BUR 5.7) – After
a mini flurry of goals (if 2 goals in 4 counts as a flurry) – people queued up
at the station to jump on the Ashley Barnes train with the inviting fixtures of
Fulham and Watford. Barnes has scored in neither, and missed a guilt edged
chance this weekend to probably end this charade for another 12 months and see
Sam Vokes quietly returned to the team to do… er… exactly the same.
Man Burnley strikers are shit.
Llorente (TOT 5.6) – But
you know. Not this shit.
Happy Hunting
HM
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