Chelsea FC vs Aston Villa: Post-Match Reflections
Injury Blessings
While some people may consider me callous for celebrating Branislav Ivanovic’s injury during Serbia’s Euro 2016 qualifying win, I can gladly express my delight at the unfortunate (not) incident given that many Blues fans took to social media sites to express similar sentiments! And his absence from the team produced the expected outcome: Chelsea’s second clean sheet in nine Premier League matches!
Now that’s not trying to say that the Blues were exceptional in defence, especially considering the fact that they were playing against currently the worst attacking side in the league this season. Abdul Baba Rahman had a shaky start to the game (which was expected considering how scarce his appearances this season have been) but came into his own as the game progressed. Cesar Azpilicueta, meanwhile, was run around a bit in the first half by the impressive Jack Grealish.
But unlike in previous games, Asmir Begovic wasn’t left exposed nor was he called upon to bail the team out as the Villans were restricted to taking pot shots at goal. Only one or two of their eight attempts on goal occurred within the 18-yard box.
The Blues were quite compact in defence, largely due to the fact that both full-backs didn’t bomb forward much during the game, probably on Jose Mourinho’s instructions. However, this may have played a role in the team’s struggles going forward, particularly because Hazard had to make do with a spot on the bench, a reason that the manager alluded to in his post-match press-conference.
The result also means that the Blues have won every game Baba Rahman has featured in (one home and two away), scoring 10 and conceding just one goal in the process. If the 21-year-old Ghanaian international can keep his performances at a high level, that may just be enough to oust Ivanovic from the starting eleven.
Next: Gold In The Midst Of Rubbles