Chelsea’s offence powered the Blues’ comeback, keeping the pressure bottled up against nine-man Ajax. But it was still a midfielder who scored the two goals that the defence didn’t.
Tammy Abraham, Christian Pulisic and Callum Hudson-Odoi could probably not dream of such a tantalizing situation as having a two-man advantage against Ajax on a European night at home while battling back from what was, at one point, a three-goal deficit. Yet Jorginho and Reece James capped off the comeback that Cesar Azpilicueta started, with the forwards combining for only one assist all night.
Jorginho, Midfielder: 7.5
Let’s start with the positives. Jorginho’s penalties were impeccable. On the first, he changed the rhythm of his hop-skip-jump routine. He took a lower hop and swung his right foot through the ball seamlessly as his left foot hit the ground, whereas he normally takes a high hop and hangs a bit on his left foot before striking the ball. This is important because his timing – like much else about his former game – was very predictable, which means it was vulnerable. His second penalty was much more like his usual timing.
Moreover, his first penalty went low to the goalkeeper’s left and his second went high to the right. Andre Onana went the wrong way both times. Jorginho’s routine is a trick technique, the kind that is wonderful when it works and risible when it doesn’t (Carabao Cup final). But against Ajax he executed his penalties expertly.
Jorginho is giving his teammates much better instructions during all his pointing and shouting than he did earlier in the season. How do we know? The players are doing what he says more often. This is a sign the Jorginho is understanding his teammates and Frank Lampard better. It is not – I repeat, not – a sign that the team are simply listening to Their Midfield General. It is not Frank Lampard’s way to tell his players “Thou shalt do what one guy says thou shalt do.” Jorginho is evolving in tandem with the team – nothing is revolving around him.
On the other side, Jorginho is still not the defender Chelsea need against a team like Ajax, where every player is faster than Michael Oliver. On transition and defence Jorginho could do little more than spectate and gesticulate.
He was lucky to not find himself in the book at least once. Barely 10 minutes after the opening (own) goal Jorginho committed a clumsy foul in almost the same spot. A few minutes later he went in with a high boot on the opposite side of the pitch. He is certainly free of his old restrictive role. Now just to drop some of his old destructive habits.
Mateo Kovacic, Midfielder: 6.5
Mateo Kovacic is replacing Eden Hazard’s dribbling as effectively as Christian Pulisic or Tammy Abraham are replacing Hazard’s goals.
Kovacic is about as useful on defence as Hazard is, as well. Kovacic barely bothered to notice Donny van de Beek’s run into the box, let alone marking him as he moved into position to receive the ball 15 yards out and take a shot from time and space.
As Kovacic’s dribbling, press and transition play is becoming even more outstanding with every game, the disparity between those attributes and his defending is more evident. With Jorginho serving a one-game suspension for yellow card accumulation this weekend, the midfield combination of Kovacic and N’Golo Kante could mark a turning point in the season as Chelsea can finally see what a defensively-sound midfield does as a platform for Kovacic.
Mason Mount, Midfielder: 7
Mason Mount gave Ajax a taste of their own medicine on the press. His movements off the midfield line and towards the opposition ball carrier seem to be the cue for how the other Chelsea players – even those who started their press before him – shape the press. Mount and Kovacic traded positions in these situations, almost overlapping in the press and on offence.
Like Kovacic, Mount needs to work on his defensive positioning and challenges. Opponents easily dribble past or pass around him, which contributes to the physical and tactical gap between Chelsea’s midfield and defensive lines.