Despite an improved performance, Chelsea were knocked out of the Carabao cup by Manchester City as the Citizens defeated the Blues 2-0 at the Etihad Stadium.
Manchester City started the game all guns blazing at the visitors’ goal, with the home side dominating possession. MCFC had a number of chances to score earlier but that was mostly due to CFC being the architects of their own downfall, given away the ball in their own half. But as the game progressed, the Blues also started to make inroads at the City goal, forcing Ortega to make a couple of good saves. The best chance came to Chelsea youngster Lewis Hall when he was one on one, only for his effort to be saved by the keeper.
But all it took was five minutes for the Citizens to take away the game from the capital club. The former’s Defenders lacked that constant focus and made many errors. Compared to previous games, this performance was better. Yet Chelsea lose once more due to their lack of clinical edge in the opponents’ box. Here’s how each blue fared in yet another disappointing outing against the Premier League champions:
1. Edouard Mendy (Goalkeeper): 7/10
Throughout the game, Mendy was kept busy by the Manchester City attackers. The Senegalese international was forced into a making a few saves and came out to collect multiple crosses from the City full backs. But in the second half, the lapse of focus from the defenders meant that Mendy conceded a couple of goals in the space of five minutes.
2. Trevoh Chalobah (Centerback): 6/10
Throughout the first half, Chalobah didn’t put a foot wrong and was good while defending but in the second half an unnecessary foul on Riyad Mahrez resulted in City opening the scoring. Seemed to have lost his focus in the second half and Chalobah was replaced by Cesar Azpilicueta in the 69th minute.
3. Kalidou Koulibaly (Centerback): 5/10
With a good first half display from the Senegalese international, defending well and making some vital interceptions and blocks it seems like Koulibaly has that knack of making that one vital error that leads to a goal. And again that happened as while defending a free-kick, Koulibaly didn’t jump and the ball went right over his head and into the goal to give City the lead. After that error too, Koulibaly got his defence in trouble with mistimed headers.
4. Marc Cucurella (Centerback): 7/10
Marc Cucurella was the best Chelsea defender on the pitch today as the Spaniard today very easily saved a number of goals from going in by putting in some last ditch tackles and blocks and from making it an embarrassing night for the London club.
5. Ruben Loftus Cheek (Right Wingback): 6/10
Playing in his not so preferred right wingback spot, Ruben Loftus Cheek struggled badly defensively against the likes of Claudio Gomes and Jack Grealish and should have been helped by the Ziyech more in the first half. Loftus Cheek did make runs forward but any of his efforts weren’t dangerous enough to trouble the City defence.
6. Mateo Kovacic (Central Midfielder): 5/10
Mateo Kovacic seemed to be playing a much more deeper role in the first half but after half time, the Croatian international played more advance on the pitch but his performance was completely subdued by the brilliant pressing from the opponents today.
7. Denis Zakaria (Central Midfielder): 6/10
Making his second start for the club, Zakaria couldn’t replicate his impressive display against Dinamo Zagreb but did decent enough to try and impose his dominance by winning the ball back and winning fouls but couldn’t really help the team much.
8. Lewis Hall (Left Wingback): 7/10
Making just his second senior outing for the club, Lewis Hall was by a mile the best player for Chelsea against Manchester City. The youngster was not afraid to run at the City defence and his great understanding with Cucurella was on display. The youngster came twice close to scoring for CFC but was denied by Ortega on both occasions. Lewis Hall was replaced by Kai Havertz in the 75th minute.
9. Hakim Ziyech (Right Winger): 6/10
Hakim Ziyech today gave a good display of crossing into dangerous areas but still lacked that final clinical edge when it mattered the most. Ziyech was replaced by Mason Mount in the 68th minute.
10. Armando Broja (Striker): 5/10
The Albanian international was left isolated on top with not much support from either Christian Pulisic or Hakim Ziyech. And frustratingly was again not given the full game and was replaced by Raheem Sterling in the 68th minute.
11. Christian Pulisic (Left Winger): 6/10
Just like majority of his showings for the west London team, Pulisic’s performance was plagued by woeful finishing. So much so that the forward could have scored a couple of fairly east to take goals. The American international did make good darting runs forward but without any end product.
12. Raheem Sterling (Striker): 5/10
Raheem Sterling came on for Armando Broja in the 68th minute and was barely involved in front of the gaol. Any of his attempts to dribbled past the City defenders were jokingly shrugged off.
13. Mason Mount (Right Winger): 6/10
Mason Mount came on for Hakim Ziyech in the 68th minute and came very close to scoring for the Blues in the final few minutes of the normal time. Unfortunately he dragged his effort just wide of the post.
14. Conor Gallagher (Central Midfielder): 5/10
Conor Gallagher came on for Denis Zakaria in the 68th minute and was brought in to bring some more attacking threat to Chelsea’s play but that was not really that happened but Gallagher did well to keep the game flowing forward for CFC.
15. Cesar Azpilicueta: (Right Back): 6/10
Cesar Azpilicueta came on for Trevoh Chalobah in the 68th minute and playing as a full back made a few runs forward and even delivered a few crosses in the box but to not much avail. Apart from that he got into a tussle with Grealish which got him booked.
16. Kai Havertz (Left Winger): 5/10
Kai Havertz came on for Lewis Hall in the 75th minute and did get a few half chances in the City box but again couldn’t finish them off or even test the goalkeeper with it.