Jackson and Fernandez shine while Caicedo thrives in his new role
News

Jackson and Fernandez shine while Caicedo thrives in his new role

Posted on by Amelia Pressman

Chelsea were in fine form as the Blues secured a 3-0 win over Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Nicolas Jackson opened the scoring with an instinctive finish just seven minutes later, before Enzo Fernandez’s volley doubled Chelsea’s lead before half-time.

Cole Palmer scored the third goal just five minutes before the end of the game, scoring the best goal of the game when he picked up the ball on the edge of the penalty area and then fired it into the top left corner.

Enzo Maresca will no doubt be proud of his side’s performance after fielding an incredibly attacking line-up and Moises Caicedo was deployed in a new position

However, Wesley Fofana suffered an injury blow as the defender was forced off the pitch and was replaced by Benoit Badiashile in the second half after a good performance.

Absolute Chelsea have the player ratings from the Blues’ 3-0 win over Aston Villa.

Cole Palmer scored Chelsea's third goal as the Blues started December with a win.

Cole Palmer scored Chelsea’s third goal as the Blues started December with a win. / IMAGO / Sportimage

Robert Sanchez – 9/10

Sanchez has had his fair share of critics this season, but the goalkeeper made a couple of excellent saves to keep Aston Villa at bay. The Spaniard earned his clean sheet and was good with his feet, making some impressive passes from the back, which will no doubt please his boss.

Wesley Fofana – 7/10 (60′)

Before his substitution, Fofana looked solid in defense. Still, he made a few mistakes to allow Ollie Watkins to score. A final tackle failed against the striker later in the game, making up for his mistake. He was the more active of the two defenders and was tasked with getting the ball out of the defense before he went down injured.

Levi Colwill – 9/10

With every game, Colwill shows why Chelsea were keen to keep him at the club when Brighton came calling last year. The defender led the line well and even managed a save from Jhon Duran, helping Chelsea keep a clean sheet. A brilliant performance from Chelsea’s young star.

Marc Cucuerlla – 9/10

Does this man ever have a bad game? In his current form, Cucurella is undoubtedly the best left-back in the world. He can move into midfield, form Chelsea’s wing and also be part of a back three in the same game. It was Cucurella’s brilliant cross, aided by a slight deflection, that gave Jackson the lead. An incredible performance from Mr. Reliable.

Marc Cucurella and Enzo Fernandez were two of the best players for Chelsea.

Marc Cucurella and Enzo Fernandez were two of the best players for Chelsea. / IMAGO / Professional sports images

Moises Caicedo – 9.5/10

While Cucurella is arguably the best left-back in the world, is there a better midfielder than Caicedo right now? Maresca adapted his tactics to integrate Caicedo, Lavia and Fernandez into his team and it worked brilliantly. Caicedo was deployed at right-back and was tasked with moving into midfield – which he did under Roberto de Zerbi at Brighton. The Ecuador international constantly won the ball back and provided the stability Chelsea needed in this game to allow the strikers to thrive. The only thing stopping him from getting a 10/10 is the fact that the referees constantly penalize him for making brilliant tackles from behind. Even they can’t believe he wins the ball as much as he does.

Romeo Lavia – 7/10 (86′)

A solid performance from Lavia. The Belgian was the most defensive midfielder and allowed the other players to develop. He may have gone unnoticed, but that’s exactly what you want from your number six.

Enzo Fernandez – 8.5/10

Is Fernandez back to his best with goals in back-to-back Premier League games? He was Chelsea’s most active midfielder on the ball and took his goal well. Despite some of his corners failing to beat the first man, Fernandez was impressive and now Maresca has a decision to make with his midfield ahead of Wednesday’s trip to St Mary’s.

Chelsea captain Enzo Fernandez got on the scoresheet against Aston Villa.

Chelsea captain Fernandez got on the scoresheet against Aston Villa. / IMAGO / Sportimage

Cole Palmer – 8.5/10 (86′)

A goal and an assist for Palmer are now the least expected of him in a Chelsea shirt. The England international put in a fantastic performance and was a constant threat to the Aston Villa defence. On another day, Palmer could have scored two or three goals of his own and even had the opportunity to take a bizarre indirect free-kick from seven yards out.

Pedro Neto – 8/10

Maresca found the perfect balance on his wings today. Neto and Sancho complement each other so well. The Portugal international was a constant threat on the right and his crosses at the far post were always dangerous.

Jadon Sancho – 7.5/10 (71′)

Manchester United will be kicking themselves after another positive performance from Sancho. The winger set the pace for Chelsea, but we would have liked to have seen him more direct and take on Matty Cash a bit more. A solid performance.

Nicolas Jackson – 8/10 (71′)

Jackson scored brilliantly, but he really should have scored a few more goals. His link-up play was great, but there were a few chances for Jackson to get his shot blocked but he didn’t capitalize on them. He also fired a one-on-one over the bar but it was once again a brilliant performance from the Chelsea striker.

Noni Madueke grabbed the assist for Palmer's shot after coming on as a substitute.

Noni Madueke grabbed the assist for Palmer’s goal after coming on, / IMAGO / Colorsport

Subs

Benoit Badiashile – 7/10 (60′)

The defender continued his good form and was able to feature in the festive season following Fofana’s injury. He played his part in keeping Chelsea’s clean sheet intact.

Christopher Nkunku 7/10 (71′)

Nkunku didn’t have much time to make his mark on the game, but with Jackson just a yellow card away from suspension, he could be in contention sooner rather than later.

Noni Madueke – 8/10 (71′)

The winger provided an assist for Palmer’s late goal and is a constant threat against tired legs.

Joao Felix – N/A (86′)

Malo Gusto – N/A (86′)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *