Everton 1-0 Chelsea player ratings: Azpilicueta error costs visitors
Chelsea traveled to the blue side of Merseyside to face relegation-battler, Everton, for a game in which results had more consequences for the hosts than for the visitors. The Blues were flat in the first half, something that has stopped surprising Chelsea fans altogether after the recent skid. The Toffees do deserve some credit though, as they were more disciplined and won most of their key duels. Chelsea got the result it deserved in the end, losing the game due to a needless error by the Blues’ captain, Cesar Azpilicueta, and failing to create chances at the other end of the pitch.
Here’s how each individual performed during the trip to Goodison Park:
Edouard Mendy (Goalkeeper): 5/10
The Blues finished the first half with 74% of the ball, indicating that they didn’t have many situations to defend. Edouard Mendy did face four shots on target, from which he saved three. Mendy has had a rough few weeks and he really needed this clean sheet. The Senegalese shot-stopper is actually not having a bad season, despite the wavering confidence in the goalkeeper. Once again, he was hung out to dry by a back line lacking concentration and lost his clean sheet because of the mistakes in front of him.
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Cesar Azpilicueta (Right centerback): 2/10
Azpilicueta made a costly error against Everton that was doubly embarrassing because of how experienced he is. He had no business making that error. The inexplicable mistake stemmed mainly from poor decision-making and partly from arrogance on the ball, as well. Azpilicueta had several chances to make a better decision in that scenario, but instead, he adjusted his position to give Richarlison a chance to really press the ball. It was a needless error that ultimately cost Chelsea the game. This has been the theme for the Blues for the past month: needless errors and lack of concentration in key moments.
Thiago Silva (Centerback): 3/10
Thiago Silva was poor. If only passing was the main job of a defender, eh? While the 4-1 Brentford loss was supposed to show that the Brazilian’s struggles were a blip, now it’s getting increasingly more obvious that something bigger is in play here. Silva’s intelligence is a massive boost to the side, but his physical attributes are looking more and more exploitable as time passes. Chelsea needs to get someone in to replace Silva as soon as it possibly can. Pinning the Blues’ hopes on a 37-year-old Silva is a horrendous idea for all involved. A failure to plan for life without him and naivety to think he’d continue to “age like fine wine” would see Chelsea find itself panicking to buy a new centerback when the time does finally come. When has that ever gone wrong?
Antonio Rudiger (Left centerback): 2/10
Antonio Rudiger was really poor. He lost runners, defended poorly and he had no command of his penalty area. His distribution was poor and his ball retention was worse. Rudiger lost possession 17 times, which could be nothing, but for a centerback it is definitely alarming. For comparison, Mason Mount lost possession 18 times, except that he created three chances and attempted six crosses. A centerback has no business losing the ball 17 times, especially in a high-possession squad that held onto the ball for a majority of the contest.