Chelsea player ratings: MOTM for Kepa, large dose of context for Jorginho

Chelsea made the 19th-place team look like a midtable team on Sunday. The Blues took several steps back from their previous two performances, as though they have any breathing room.

Unlike the three other top-six clubs involved in derbies this weekend, Chelsea at least won. That it came against the lowest-ranked opponent of any club in those derbies and the second-lowest team in the Premier League is a much more important fact than the final, narrow scoreline.

Kepa Arrizabalaga, Goalkeeper: 8.5

We said in our preview piece that Fulham shoot more like a midtable team than a relegation-zone team, and that they were closer to Tottenham in their total shots than they were to their fellow Championship-bound sides. Sure enough, Fulham did five times what Tottenham could not do once: put a shot on Kepa Arrizabalaga’s goal.

Arrizabalaga gave the perfect “end of conversation” response to the goings-on of the past week. He bobbled a pull-down early in the game, which would have been an absolute embarrassment on so many levels had Ryan Babel been paying a bit more attention. After that, though, Arrizabalaga was locked on and played like a record-setting goalkeeper and a man determined to regain everyone’s trust and esteem. As per Chelsea’s usual, they completely abandoned him through poor zonal marking to end his clean sheet. But after that, Arrizabalaga acrobatically handled everything that came his way and ensured a Chelsea win. Sarri chose wisely.

Cesar Azpilicueta, Right back: 7.5

Azpilicueta was a little less on edge than in recent games, which allowed him to settle back into his reliable form. Fire is a good thing in a player, and when Azpilicueta has fire it is some of the best. But sometimes you can have too much of a good thing.

Azpilicueta pulled up a bit with injury, which was every bit as concerning as it was unsurprising. The man is currently the textbook definition of overworked, and unlike another overused player (we won’t say overworked, in that case), Azpilicueta gives 100% no matter what condition he is in. Sarri is walking a dangerous line with Azpilicueta, and compounding the risk by not putting any full-backs on the bench. Had Azpilicueta come off, Sarri would have resorted to using a centre-back as a full-back since there is no way he would switch to a three-man defence with Emerson and Willian or Pedro as wing-backs.

Sarri may not rate Davide Zappacosta, but one game with Zappacosta is a much better prospect than multiple games without Azpilicueta.

Antonio Rudiger, Centre back: 6.5

Rudiger receded a bit in this game. Perhaps he knew he could because he had a properly defensive partner next to him instead of David Luiz. That’s how partnerships are supposed to work. They are complementary, not redundant. Rudiger could afford to back off a bit or simply have an off day with minimal consequences because of the presence and performance of Andreas Christensen.

Rudiger is also getting up there in minutes, and could use a game off. Christensen showed how well he can cover, but alongside whom?

Andreas Christensen, Centre back: 7.5

Christensen did the nominally easy job of being more defensively sound than David Luiz. Christensen’s inclusion in the XI was crucial as the Blues somewhat regressed to their pre-Carabao Cup final organization, which left a lot of space through the midfield for Fulham to attack. Christensen also was on the same side as Emerson, who allowed Fulham to breeze through along the flank and attack the left side of Chelsea’s penalty box.

Christensen should be a regular going forward, but we’ve been saying that for the entire season. Little reason besides blind hope to think his performance at Fulham will do the trick.

Emerson, Left back: 5.5

Normal service resumed on the left side of Chelsea’s defence, with Emerson holding the door open for Marcos Alonso to return. Once Fulham caught on to Emerson’s tendency to linger up-field and his poor one-on-one defending, they sent Ryan Sessegnon to target Chelsea’s left at every opportunity. Sessegnon looked like the top-line transfer target for Chelsea’s own left back / left wingback role as he sliced through Emerson with ease.

Emerson’s much-vaunted pace will not help him if he does not start his recovery runs sooner, nor does it contribute to the team if he can not defend once he returns to his post.

Emerson was also at fault for Fulham’s goal. As has happened so many times at Chelsea this season on set pieces and open play, the Blues get caught watching one half of the pitch and miss a player running wide into the ball-far area. Since Maurizio Sarri insists on a pure zonal marking scheme, no one tracks the runner. And since the Blues are uncomfortable with the impracticalities of such a scheme, players tend to not notice an opponent entering the ball-far zone. That ball-far zone – simply known as “the back post,” in this case – was Emerson’s, until it became Callum Chambers’.