Football Features

    From sorry strikers to garish goalkeeping: Full player ratings as Chelsea grab a point against Valencia

    By Muhammad Butt

    Published: 20:06, 27 November 2019

    In a madcap night of football, Chelsea and Valencia played out a breathless 2-2 draw at Mestalla.

    The game was wide-open from start to finish between two sides that hurtled forward at every chance they got. The defending was bad, the goalkeeping was worse, but the game was incredible fun.

    Here’s how the players rated:

    Valencia

    Jasper Cillessen – 3 – Went down in slow motion for Chelsea’s opener and had all the commanding presence of a wet biscuit for their second. Despite two impressive stops in the second half, in general he looks a shadow of the man he was at Barcelona.

    Jaume Costa – 5 – Battled hard on the right-flank, forcing Pulisic infield. However he used the ball poorly. Subbed off as Valencia chased the game.

    Ezequiel Garay – 6 – A reasonable display as he marshalled the Valencia back-line and forced a rampant Chelsea to take bad shots from poor locations.

    Gabriel – 6 – A quality no nonsense performance as he was often Valencia’s last line of defence. Was clearly fouled in the build-up to Chelsea’s second goal but VAR was too focused on the offside call to spot it.

    José Luis Gaya – 7 – Relentless up and down the flank. Won a penalty with a pulsating run and refused to be cowed by Chelsea. Was often Valencia’s primary creative force in the final third.

    Dani Parejo – 3 – Passed the ball well as always but was shocking in his defensive duties. Offered his defence zero protection. Also missed a penalty that would have drawn Valencia level.

    Daniel Wass – 5 – Did absolutely nothing for 80 minutes and then accidentally thundered a cross into the back of the net to equalise.

    Ferran Torres – 5 – Some delightful runs in the first half but Valencia struggled to get him involved regularly.

    Carlos Soler – 7 – Carried most of the goal threat for Valencia. Had the most shots and scored the opening goal of the game with a fine run from out wide into the heart of the Chelsea area.

    Rodrigo – 5 – Relentless in the way he ran at Chelsea. Created Valencia’s opening goal with a stunning cross but wasted two golden chances in the second half. The first a botched equaliser, the second what should have been the winner. Both wide of the goal.

    Maxi Gomez – 2 – He actually ran well and dragged Chelsea’s defenders all over the place to open up spaces for his team-mates, but a striker has to score and he missed two, not one but two, absolute sitters. With the goal at his mercy twice, he blazed it wide. He didn’t even test Arrizabalaga, he just skewed it away.

    Substitutes:

    Kevin Gameiro (for Costa 67) – 5 – Had little impact.

    Frances Coquelin (for Torres 74) – 6 – Came on to hold midfield and that is exactly what he did.

    Lee Kang-In (for Soler 78) – 6 – Had drive and energy.

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    Chelsea

    Kepa Arrizabalaga – 4 – A shockingly weak effort when dealing with Soler’s shot. Extremely fortunate Maxi Gomez didn’t have his shooting boots on or he’d have probably let those in. Seemed to redeem himself with an excellent penalty save but then let Daniel Wass score off a mishit cross.

    Reece James – 6 – Ran forward well but had trouble defending his flank although, in his defence, he was given almost zero protection.

    Andreas Christensen – 3 – Positionally all at sea. Left massive gaps in defence when Chelsea pushed up the field. So lucky Valencia didn’t punish his nightmarish positioning.

    Kurt Zouma – 5 – Worked phenomenally hard to cover for his team-mates. Had a game-high five clearances and was dominant at set-pieces in attack and defence but he was guilty of some sloppy defending.

    Cesar Azpilicueta – 5 – Handled himself well 1v1 but both Valencia goals came as he failed to close down a crosser.

    Jorginho – 4 – Passed it well but was constantly overwhelmed in defence by Valencia’s movement. Conceded a penalty with a shocking tackle on Gaya. Removed as Chelsea looked to protect the lead.

    N’Golo Kanté – 6 – Absurdly active in both defence and especially attack. Made countless raids into dangerous attacking zones and put in a delicious cross for Chelsea’s second goal.

    Mateo Kovacic – 7 – Excellent in possession as always, active in preventing Valencia incursions through the middle, and even scored his first goal for almost three years to draw Chelsea level!

    Willian – 5 – Ran hard at Valencia but did little with all the times he saw it in open play.

    Christian Pulisic – 7 – Some delightful dribbles and driving runs. Not the most creative display but poached Chelsea’s second goal with an instinctive finish.

    Tammy Abraham – 6 – Lively movement and linked well with team-mates. Withdrawn at half-time after a nasty fall left him injured.

    Substitutes:

    Michy Batshuayi (for Chelsea 46′) – 5 – Added some punch in attack when he came on.

    Emerson (for Jorginho 72′) – 5 – Made a couple of nice runs.

    Mason Mount (for Willian 80′) – 6 – Did nothing in defence but looked as dangerously creative as any Chelsea player.

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