Chelsea were ruthless, Stoke City were toothless on Saturday as the Blues beat them 4-0 thanks to an Alvaro Morata hat-trick. The other goal was a decisive, precise finish from Pedro. It was typical Antonio Conte away performance as Chelsea defended well with discipline and a game plan. They held their shape almost perfectly and hurt the Potters on the counter on all their goal-scoring occasions.
Although Stoke found some space and created chances, Chelsea looked comfortable for most part of the game.
Here are our Chelsea player ratings –
Thibaut Courtois – 8/10
He had another silent day and was barely tested by anyone. He released the ball quickly though, a good sign.
Antonio Rudiger – 8.5/10
He was solid and strong at the back, surely a force to get past. He put in the slide when required.
Andreas Christensen – 8/10
He seems to be loving his manager’s trust and looks very comfortable. Had a good game.
Cesar Azpilicueta – 9.5/10
Man of the match! Two assists, he seems to be in love with his fellow Spaniard, Alvaro. He was steady and composed throughout, surely the best one on one defender in the league.
Victor Moses – 7/10
He was disciplined and held his line well. Not flashy, but satisfactory.
Marcos Alonso – 5.5/10
He lost his discipline and could have easily been sent off. Apart from that, he had an okay game.
N’Golo Kanté – 8.5/10
He was defensively sound, sat back and covered the back 3. As usual, he was sharp to snatch the ball and initiate the counters.
Tiemoue Bakayoko – 6.5/10
Bakayoko was strong and used his strength well to dribble past players. He was hot and cold sometimes though, as he lost possession a number of times.
Pedro – 7.5/10
Didn’t have as many touches as his fellow frontmen, but found the back of the net with precision. His reactions were top class.
Willian – 9/10
A complete performance. He was a great ball carrier, used his little shimmies to fake the defenders and got past them with ease.
Alvaro Morata – 10/10
6 goals in 6 games, he seems to be loving life in the Premier League. He looked quick and his movement is getting better game by game.
Substitutes
Eden Hazard – 8/10
He deceived his markers with quick passes and his typical flicks and back heels, and was holding the ball well too. Should have taken a shot or two as he is more than capable of finding the back of the net. Selfless.
Cesc Fabregas – 8.5/10
He ruled the pitch as soon as he came on. He saw each pass a fraction earlier than all others and created the chances for Chelsea’s third and fourth.
Gary Cahill – 6.5/10
He was sloppy at times and got away once as he tapped his opponent’s ankle. Otherwise, he was just fine.