On a day when everything looked bleak for Chelsea—and it has not been the only time this season either—Hakim Ziyech once again stood up to be counted. He contributed the most valuable commodity possible, a winning goal, as the Blues defeated Crystal Palace in the 89′ to take home a huge three points. This is not just to speak about about the recently concluded game against the Eagles at Selhurst Park though, but rather to also highlight the Moroccan’s contributions in the two FIFA Club World Cup matches, as well.
Chelsea had sub-par performances in the Club World Cup. Ziyech was the best player on the pitch in the semifinal against Al Hilal and his impact was even more glaring in the final where the Blues played without him for the entirety of regular time. The inclusion of Ziyech in extra time of the Club World Cup final saw the Blues build more dangerous attacks. He made several crosses that caused confusion in the Palmeiras camp and found Kai Havertz with a superb long through pass that left Havertz’s marker with no choice but to foul him and earn himself a straight red card. These recent examples just go to show that Chelsea cannot do without the Moroccan.
Chelsea cannot do without Hakim Ziyech in the team due to his stellar form
Specifically on Saturday, the Blues tried hard to build from the left side of the pitch against Crystal Palace. Unsurprisingly, they did not get much headway. They only started making progress when they started including Ziyech more in proceedings. This is no surprise though as he’s become an integral part to how Chelsea attacks over the last few weeks in Thomas Tuchel’s new 4-1-4-1.
The breakthrough seemed to come when Jack Butland punched away Romelu Lukaku’s shot and Ziyech pounced on the rebound. Unfortunately, it was ruled out for offside. The Blues began to get desperate heading into the final minutes of the match, and Ziyech pulled out one of the best finishes of Chelsea’s Premier League season when he slotted Marcos Alonso’s cross low into Butland’s near post. Ziyech had been the Blues’ best forward until that point, and it was fitting that he would be the one to have the decisive moment in the end.
Up until a few months ago, Ziyech was widely unpopular in the fanbase. The fans were growing impatient with the Moroccan and some were even calling for him to be sold. Ziyech’s Chelsea career has been plagued with injuries and other factors have seen him go in and out of the line-up, as well as hindered his form. He has had some consistency in the line-up in recent weeks and it’s no surprise he has been able to get into, and maintain, the top form he has been in.
The former Ajax star has made himself a must-start for Chelsea. He is now undroppable and that is only credit to him. Ziyech put his head down and worked hard when he wasn’t getting consistent minutes, rather than complaining or sulking. Mason Mount was leading in many creative metrics for the Blues this season, but now that he is injured, it’s imperative the reigning World Champions trust Ziyech with chance creation. He’s the best at it and Chelsea has a better chance of turning possession into quality chances when Ziyech is on the pitch. Plain and simple.
What do you make of Ziyech’s form? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or on Twitter!