Chelsea vs West Ham player ratings: Blues win crucial top four match
Chelsea knows it has to rely upon some old-fashioned hard work if it wants to qualify for the UEFA Champions League next season. With the Super League plans shelved (for now), the Blues have to secure a top four finish to play in the next edition of Europe’s premier competition. Thomas Tuchel’s side could also qualify for the competition next season by winning it this time around. However, the focus remains on achieving the best possible position in the Premier League at the moment.
With that in mind, Chelsea faced fellow Champions League qualification contenders West Ham United at the London Stadium. The Blues started the match as the brighter of the two teams, with Timo Werner, Mason Mount and Christian Pulisic all missing early chances. The breakthrough arrived against the run of play and right before halftime. Werner did well to hold the ball up the pitch before playing a simple pass to Pulisic. The American played the ball out wide to Ben Chilwell, who in turn picked Werner in the box with an inch-perfect pass. The German striker could not have missed, even if he tried.
Werner did miss a golden opportunity to score Chelsea’s second goal in the second half. However, the German’s blushes were spared thanks to the Blues’ defence, which managed to keep the Hammers at bay. The opposition even received a red card late into the match, as Fabian Balbuena was sent off for serious foul play. Chelsea, with the goal and the man advantage, managed to see out the crucial win. Here’s how the players fared in this one:
Edouard Mendy (Goalkeeper): 7/10
The Senegalese shot-stopper had little to do in goal, with the Chelsea defence largely dealing with threats on their own. Edouard Mendy was called into action a couple of times, albeit only to make routine stops. He had a moment to forget in the first half when he nearly gave the ball away to the West Ham attackers. Apart from that nervy moment, his distribution from the back was good.
Andreas Christensen (Centreback): 7.5/10
Andreas Christensen started as the right centreback in the three-man back line with Cesar Azpilicueta moving further forward. The Dane was solid throughout the match and dealt with an in-form Jesse Lingard with ease. He barely put a foot wrong while playing out from the back, but was booked for a cynical foul in the first half. Other than that, another good display by the defender.
Thiago Silva (Centreback): 7/10
It was yet another good showing by the veteran centreback as he helped the Blues keep a clean sheet. Thiago Silva did misplace a couple of passes, but thankfully, West Ham was unable to take advantage of the same. Despite the mistakes, Silva enjoyed a solid outing and would be pleased with the three hard-earned points.
Antonio Rudiger (Centreback): 7/10
The German defender has become a key member of the first team under Tuchel. He started as the left centreback in the back three and often joined in the attack in the first half. The extra man helped the Blues take the game to West Ham in the opening phases of play. Antonio Rudiger put in a much more conservative performance in the second half and ended up with another clean sheet in his bank.