Chelsea was very good last night as they welcomed AFC Wimbledon to Stamford Bridge for their EFL Cup second-round tie. Chelsea took 23 shots, keeping nine on target and only scoring two. The game was, for anyone watching, comfortable for Mauricio Pochettino’s men, but it also showed why Wimbledon is in the fourth tier of English football.
On many occasions, Wimbledon had a chance to hurt the Blues, but unexplainable decision-making cost them. The west London side was not as comfortable as the scoreline and underlying statistics would suggest. It was a good showing from the boys, and this is how the Pride of London rates them individually:
Chelsea player ratings vs Wimbeldon
Robert Sanchez: 6/10
Sanchez was OK, as his passing was quite good, but he made some mistakes that ultimately meant Chelsea did not leave with a clean sheet. He mistimed the flight of a free kick and ended up punching a Wimbledon player along with the ball, conceding a penalty.
Bashir Humphreys: 6/10
Humphreys did well, but made no case to get a start in a more high-profile game. He completed more than 100 passes on the night, which speaks to how dominant the home side was. He only completed 1/4 long balls he attempted though, and lost possession 11 times, which is high for a defender that attempted only 4 long passes. He won 3/6 duels on the night, which was enough to get the win.
Axel Disasi: 9/10
Disasi was superb, because despite winning 0/2 ground duels, he won 10/14 aerials duels, completed 94% of his 110 passes, and made three crucial blocks, according to Sofascore. He played all 90 minutes and it was good he did, because Chelsea may well have conceded a second goal had it not been for his excellent decision-making and positioning.
Levi Colwill: 6/10
Colwill also did well, mostly. He was a bit careless with his passing and it put the team under more pressure than was needed. He completed 33% of his long passes on the night (2/6), and like Humphreys, lost the ball 11 times. He was imperious in the air though, winning 8/9 aerial duels.
Marc Cucurella: 8/10
Cucurella was fantastic against Wimbledon, granted it’s Wimbledon. He won the only tackle he contested, completed 95% of his passes, and created four chances, including a clear-cut chance. He also won all his duels except one, winning 4/5 duels on the night. That Cucurella lost possession fewer times than Colwill, underpins how careless Colwill was on the ball.