Chelsea got a much needed win that may well have saved Graham Potter’s job. Wesley Fofana broke the deadlock in a game where Chelsea created and squandered three clear-cut chances. CFC was without a Premier League win in five games and they needed to change that when they welcomed Leeds United to west London. Fofana’s goal marked his first Premier League goal, despite this being his third season in this league. Fofana was very impressive, but who else had a great game? Here are three players who did:
Wesley Fofana of Chelsea (No. 33) Centerback, France
Fofana came out on top in many battles he contested against Leeds United. He completed 76 passes at a 96 per cent success rate. He completed two long balls and took two shots. He contested 11 duels and won seven of them, winning 5/5 aerial duels. He also completed 11 passes into the final third but only made one recovery. His passing was sharp and he was very aggressive in and out of possession, often pushing into midfield to distribute or win the ball back. His presence gave the Blues an advantage in defense and midfield, and it allowed Potter’s men to press better and dominate the game. He topped off a magnificent performance with a game-winning goal from a towering header.
Kalidou Koulibaly (No. 26) Centerback, Senegal
Koulibaly had an even better game than Fofana, if you can believe it. He won 4/6 duels, including 3/5 ground duels. He was Chelsea’s busiest defender on the night, making 11 defensive actions, including three blocks, three tackles and two interceptions. He completed 70 passes at a 97% success rate. He completed 2/3 long balls and only lost possession of the ball three times, which is impressive. He made seven passes into the final third and recovered possession of the ball six times. The center of the back three suits him very well, and Potter should consider sticking with this backline for the foreseeable future.
Raheem Sterling (No. 17) Right winger, England
Sterling was stellar. He completed 4/4 dribbles and won an impressive 8/10 duels. He was comfortably the Blues’ best forward on the pitch. He created three chances, including one clear-cut chance for Kai Havertz. He won three fouls and made four recoveries. He also made three passes into the final third. He was electric, showing very good movement and using the ball very well. He did miss one clear cut chance, but that should not change the fact that he had an excellent outing.
It’s important to note that the game was against the 18th placed team in the league so sweeping conclusions cannot be made from it, but it was still a win in a game the west Londoners needed to win, especially after the loss against another relegation-battling team at home some weeks prior. Reports had come out that Chelsea was giving Potter this game and the Borussia Dortmund game to save his job.
There were some recurring problems in this game, like the finishing. Chelsea couldn’t convert any of the three big chances they created, which remains worrying, because CFC scoring just seven goals since November 6 isn’t only traceable to Potter’s tactics, but the players’ finishing ability as well.
This finishing ability (or lack thereof) would become a defining factor in the second leg of the Champions League Round of 16 tie against Dortmund. This is because it was a defining factor in the first leg, where the Blues created four big chances and missed four big chances. CFC lost that game 1-0, despite getting many chances to score. If Potter does have two games to save his job, it means he needs a win against the Dortmund game on Tuesday as well, and that hinges on Chelsea converting some of the chances they create, otherwise it may be another loss after a great performance.