Chelsea player ratings vs. Rennes: A dull, but solid, showing
Chelsea and Rennes played out a dull affair at Stamford Bridge, but the Blues performed well across the board on the night.
Chelsea and Rennes played out one of the most dull matches of the Blues’ campaign thus far, which is saying a lot considering they played in back-to-back 0-0 draws. The only thing that matters though is the three points won by the west London club. The Blues—behind a solid defense and the all-reliable hands of Edouard Mendy—were able to string together five consecutive clean sheets for the first time since 2010. Further, Chelsea won two penalties (one highly controversial) and the French side had a player sent off in the first half.
Here are the Blues’ player ratings from a surprisingly boring affair:
Edouard Mendy (Goalkeeper): 8
Mendy did not have much to do in this match due to the superb defense in front of him. Much like recent games—however—the little work he did do, he did well. Mendy racked up his sixth clean sheet in seven matches with Chelsea, this one more special than the rest. He was able to keep his former teammates from rattling the Blues’ net. Mendy totaled two saves on the night.
Reece James (Right back): 8
Reece James continued his fantastic start to the season with another strong performance. His back-to-back starts in important matches are very telling when it comes to Frank Lampard’s confidence in him. James continued to look solid as a rock in defense while firing in crosses with precision when Chelsea was in possession. He added an assist—finding Tammy Abraham with a low cross early in the second half—as Blues skipper Cesar Azpilicueta watched on from the substitutes bench.
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Thiago Silva (Centerback): 7.5
Thiago Silva is proving to be one helluva signing. The 36-year-old got rare consecutive starts as Lampard deployed his strongest available XI to see off Rennes. Silva’s one of the only players in the side with experience against the French club and it showed. He commanded the back line with perfection, denying Rennes any real opportunities despite a strong start to the first half. Silva found himself being subbed off in the 68′, which is crucial as Lampard needs his best centerhalf pairing healthy.
Kurt Zouma (Centerback): 7.5
At this point—and with Azpilicueta spending more time on the bench—it’s looking like Kurt Zouma is Chelsea’s new Iron Man. The Frenchman is a model centerback for consistency, strength and mental soundness. Zouma—like Silva—has an incredible knowledge of the game that allows him to read what is going on and predict what will happen (and where) before it does. This ability was on full display as he and his partner in central defense prevented Rennes from getting any good looks at goal.
Ben Chilwell (Left back): 7
Ben Chilwell’s name was seldom called upon in this sluggish match. Luckily for Lampard, when Chilwell was needed, he was exactly where he was supposed to be. While this may sound like something that should be expected and not praised, Chelsea fans know the other side of things all too well. Zouma and Silva seem to get all of the attention at the back, but make no mistake about it, the English left back is crucial to the team’s success. This explains why the manager prioritized his substitution after about an hour.
Emerson (Left back): 6
Emerson worked hard when the Blues were out of possession, tracking back into position. During his 30 minutes on the pitch, he didn’t have much to do as the game was already out of reach for Rennes. However, the important thing is he didn’t play poorly, which is more than what can be said for his back-up left back counterpart this season.
Antonio Rudiger (Centerback): 6.5
We’ve come to a consensus that Antonio Rudiger is out of the doghouse, right? He didn’t get to spend much time on the pitch, but a few moments are better than what he was getting a few weeks ago. Rudiger’s now played well in two straight matches and it seems he’s now third in the pecking order at centerback.