Chelsea at Tottenham player ratings: The Blues are through to Wembley

Chelsea secured its place in the Carabao Cup final after it defeated Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 (3-0 on aggregate) in the second leg of the semifinal. The hosts started the first half well, pressing the Blues from the top and winning the ball, but that only lasted for the opening five or so minutes. After that, the visitors settled down and started asserting their dominance in the game. It didn’t take them long before they found the back of the net. Antonio Rudiger gave his side the lead from a Mason Mount corner in the 18′. Near the end of the first half, VAR came into play after Rudiger’s tackle on Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg was wrongly given as a penalty.

Spurs were three goals down on aggregate to start the second half, so the hosts went on the front foot and kept the Chelsea defense on top of its toes. As if the evening could have gone worse for Tottenham, VAR rightly overturned another penalty decision and a goal from Harry Kane. Despite Spurs’ renewed and spirited performance, the Blues crossed the finish line without any problems and will fight for the Carabao Cup trophy at Wembley Stadium next month.

Here’s how each Chelsea player fared against an unlucky and lackluster Tottenham side:

Kepa Arrizabalaga (Goalkeeper): 8/10

Very little was asked from Kepa Arrizabalaga in terms of making saves from Tottenham’s attackers as there were so few shots on his goal. In the second half, Arrizabalaga was on his toes to deny Lucas Moura from scoring with a great tackle. In the last minute of added time, he denied Emerson Royal with a strong hand. With the host’s disallowed goal, you can say either he was smart to play Kane offside or he was caught in no man’s land.

Andreas Christensen (Right centerback): 7/10

Andreas Christensen had a pretty solid game throughout the entirety of his time on the pitch. The Danish defender was calm under pressure and he dealt well with the opponents’ pressing. By the end of his evening, the Danish centerback looked a bit tired and he was hauled off at the right moment, getting replaced by Thiago Silva in the 66′.

Antonio Rudiger (Centerback): 9/10

Another performance from the German showed why the club should tie him down with a new contract. Antonio Rudiger gave the team the important first goal, which turned out to be the only one, via a Mount corner. Despite his off-the-pitch contractual situation, it has to be commended that the German has not let all of that affect his gameplay in any way, shape or form.

Malang Sarr (Left centerback): 8/10

Malang Sarr picked up right where he left off last week and nullified every Tottenham attack. It seems that the French defender might as well have a future with the Blues going forward with the regular game time that he is getting due to injuries and COVID complications. Seeing him play as a left back/centerback on Wednesday somewhat makes fans feel that Thomas Tuchel might even try him as a wingback too. What’s the harm in trying, right?

Thiago Silva (Centerback): 7/10

Silva came on for Christensen in the 66′ to cancel out Spurs’ attacks. His introduction came at a crucial time when Tottenham was on top and getting around 30 minutes under his belt before Manchester City will be important for the team.