Chelsea vs West Brom player ratings: 10-men Blues suffer heavy defeat

Reece James (Right wingback): 7/10

Reece James and Hakim Ziyech were combining well to exploit the left side of West Brom’s defence before tragedy struck. With the departure of the Moroccan, much of the onus to create chances fell upon James. The Englishman tried his best and ran up and down the wing throughout the match. He belongs to the sub-group of players who can hold their head high, despite the result.

Jorginho (Central midfielder): 4/10

While Chelsea did not defend well as a collective unit, Jorginho was singularly at fault for some of the Blues’ biggest blunders. The Italian midfielder looked rusty and was guilty of giving the ball away too cheaply in the first half. His wayward pass early in the match saw Silva pick up his first booking, while he was also involved in the breakdown of the move which saw the Brazilian pick up a red card. Jorginho did improve in the second half of the match and was eventually subbed off.

Mateo Kovacic (Central midfielder): 8/10

Like his midfield partner, Kovacic too was guilty of giving the ball away carelessly at times. However, those moments came late into the second half—the Croatian had run himself into the ground by then. He was exceptional despite the result and was easily Chelsea’s best performer. The central midfielder broke the West Brom lines almost single-handedly with his dribbling and was always looking to pick out his teammates in dangerous positions.

Marcos Alonso (Left wingback): 6.5/10

Marcos Alonso’s free-kick was the catalyst for Chelsea’s opener. The Spaniard’s stunning strike hit the post before Pulisic tapped it in from close range. However, Alonso had to be converted into a left back following the red card—a position that brings out the worst in him. He did not perform too badly though and could have had a goal himself.