Joao Pedro stars as 7/10 impresses: Chelsea player ratings v West Ham
Chelsea dispatched West Ham United with ease, coming away from the London Stadium 5-1 winners on Friday night.
Lucas Paqueta’s glorious strike from range opened the scoring for West Ham just six minutes in but Joao Pedro levelled just nine minutes later.
Niclas Fullkrug thought he’d regained the lead for West Ham in the 18th minute but the goal was chalked off for an offside in the build up, and five minutes later Pedro Neto scored Chelsea’s second.
Enzo Fernandez had a third in the 34rd minute after great play from Estevao in the Brazilian 18-year-old’s first Chelsea start.
In the second half a double salvo took the game away from West Ham with Moises Caicedo and then Trevor Chalobah both turning in messy corners just before the hour mark, to cap off a great night for Chelsea.
Chelsea player ratings v Crystal Palace
Robert Sanchez – 6
Sanchez could no doubt have done better for Paqueta’s opener, but after some early West Ham pressure the Spaniard had very little to do.
Marc Cucurella – 6
The Spanish international took on a different role in tonight’s game playing less advanced and inverting more next to Caicedo. It was Cucurella’s flick on that lead to Pedro’s equalising goal, and the 27-year-old didn’t put a foot wrong.
Tosin Adarabioyo – 6
Adarabioyo started his first game of the season in place of Josh Achempong tonight, and he took some time to settle into the match after West Ham’s early pressure. Once the 27-year-old settled he marshalled the backline well.
Trevor Chalobah – 6
Chalobah, like Adarbioyo looked unsettled early in the game but grew as the game went on, scoring the Blues’ final goal after a scrappy corner.
Malo Gusto – 6
Unease was the nature of the opening stages for the Chelsea backline, and even more so for Gusto who had to adjust moments ahead of kickoff when it was announced Cole Palmer would be missing the match, meaning Gusto had to adapt to playing behind Estevao instead of Palmer. The Frenchman, like Cucurella, inverted at times, and looked comfortable going forwards as well as defensively.
Enzo Fernandez – 7
Fernandez has played more advanced under Enzo Maresca and tonight was no different with the 2022 World Cup winner crashing the box from midfield and his well timed runs earned him a goal to make it 3-1.
Moises Caicedo – 7
Patrolling the midfield and controlling possession are some of Caicedo’s best qualities and tonight he showed them in spades, dictating Chelsea’s play from deep, as well as mopping up well defensively in midfield.
Pedro Neto – 8
Neto stretched the game magnificently at times constantly providing a handful for Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and the Portuguese international snuck in at the back post ahead of the former Man United man to give Chelsea the lead midway through the first half.
Joao Pedro shines against West Ham
Joao Pedro – 9
It was an excellent showing from Chelsea’s new man who provided a goal and two assists, after having had to adjust to a new role just minutes before kick off due to Palmer’s injury. Playing as a number 10 Pedro was influential in a lot of Chelsea’s moves but it was his goal and two assists (all from headers in the box from corners) that stole the headlines.
Estevao – 7
Estevao’s first Chelsea start will have buoyed the mood of many in the fanbase as the Brazilian looked to be direct and ran willingly throughout his time on the pitch, capping it off with an assist for Fernandez’s goal.
Liam Delap – 6
Delap struggled to make an impact in his first Chelsea start making some nice runs off the ball but having very little box threat as he lead the line.
Substitutes
Andrey Santos (for Delap, 64) – 6
It was the Brazilian’s second substitute appearance of the season having come off the bench against Crystal Palace last weekend too. Santos struggled to get a proper foothold in the game coming off the bench and came on in a period where West Ham shut up shop and Chelsea looked to conserve some energy.
Wesley Fofana (for Chalobah, 69) – 6
Fofana’s appearance may speak more for what it represents about his relationship with Maresca more than what he did on the pitch, but the French centre back looked comfortable deputising for Chalobah in the middle of the back four.
Jorrel Hato (for Cucurella, 69) – 6
Hato will likely be a rotational piece for Maresca as the season continues but the 18-year-old showed some flashes that he can fill in well at right back.
Reece James (for Gusto, 69) – 7
Another player who will be encouraged to see minutes on the pitch, James did well when he came on, threading a lovely slide rule pass through to Estevao who should have scored with the resulting chance.
Jamie Gittens (for Estevao, 77) – 6
Gittens fell to the bench after last week’s 0-0 draw against Palace and it was only a short cameo for the former Borussia Dortmund man who, like Santos, didn’t effect the game too much in his 16 minutes on the pitch.