Arsenal and Manchester United were the first on the board as they both eased to victories. Chelsea’s Reece James was impressive despite a frustrating draw with Burnley, while Germany international Kai Havertz endured an eventful afternoon at Turf Moor.
Chelsea’s Reece James and Kai Havertz were impressive despite the team drawing against Burnley. The young German midfielder was a standout in what was a frustrating match for Chelsea.
Premier League leaders Chelsea were held to a 1-1 draw by Burnley at Stamford Bridge on Saturday as they were punished for squandered chances.
The Blues seemed to be on their way to a comfortable win after Kai Havertz’s looping header in the first half. Instead, they let off the pedal and allowed Burnley to re-enter the game, with Matej Vydra thumping home a late equalizer to threaten Chelsea’s championship hopes.
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Positives
Everything other than the final result may be seen as a positive indication for Chelsea statistically. They were quick to deploy ingenuity and initiative whenever they found themselves on the edge of the Burnley box, which allowed them create opportunities and chances on goal. They were clearly better in possession, and it was only the lack of finishing that stopped this from being a lot more praiseworthy performance.
Negatives
Chelsea struggled with the aerial duels and the intensity of the game at times, with the ball being blasted into the air and catching them out on many occasions. It’s great that they have a number of talented centre-backs, but it won’t help them if they can’t operate together as a team. They mistimed challenges, were unsure when the ball was in flight, and were more uneasy as the game progressed.
Manager’s score out of ten
7 — Thomas Tuchel chose a powerful, aggressive line-up in which no natural forwards were included in the starting XI. It was a move that resulted in complete dominance for the most of the day, but things began to go south the instant he persuaded them to relax and sit back. They opened their arms to the pressure that was directed at them, and Tuchel should have made some adjustments sooner.
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MF 8-year-old Reece James — James’ offensive threat is without a doubt Chelsea’s strongest feature at the moment. His defensive performance is great, but one assist doesn’t do credit to how brilliantly he performed moving forward.
N’Golo Kante, MF, 8 — Creates space, opens up the pitch with ease, and thread passes together in the center of the park on a regular basis — this is a typical Kante performance.
MF Jorginho, 7 years old — He had little trouble carrying the ball past the halfway line, but his passing was inconsistent.
MF Ben Chilwell, 5 years old — “Muted” is a suitable term to characterize Chilwell in this match. When he got into the final third, he was unenthusiastic in the back, weak with his delivery, and sluggish.
7-year-old FW Callum Hudson-Odoi — After halftime, he had more opportunity to play centrally, but his final ball and decision-making still require improvement.
FW Kai Havertz, 8 years old — He’s starting to find his feet inside the box, as seen by a stunning header to open the score.
FW Ross Barkley, 7 years old — He had a great opportunity to make it 2-0, but he blasted it over the bar, which was disappointing since his overall performance was crucial to Chelsea’s dominance of the first half.
Substitutes
MF N/R Ruben Loftus-Cheek — Had lots of effort and desire, but couldn’t convert it into any genuine “moments” for Chelsea supporters to cheer about.
MF N/R Christian Pulisic — In a very ordinary appearance for the American, he hardly got a smell.
MF N/R Mason Mount — The ball becoming trapped beneath his feet during injury time was his most significant contribution.
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