Garnacho netted twice off the benchplaceholder image
Garnacho netted twice off the bench | AFP via Getty Images
We rate the Chelsea players from their Carabao Cup semi-final first leg defeat to Arsenal.
Chelsea were beaten at home by Arsenal in their Carabao Cup semi-final first leg, but they kept the tie alive ahead of the second leg at the Emirates Stadium, coming back to 3-2.
Arsenal took the lead in the seventh minute when Robert Sanchez missed a punch from a corner, allowing Ben White to head home from close range. The second goal didn’t come until the second half, just two minutes after the break, when Sanchez allowed a low cross through his hands, leaving Viktor Gyokeres with little to do.
Liam Rosenior wrung the changes and Alejandro Garnacho scored within five minutes of being introduced, popping up at the back post to hammer home a clever Pedro Neto cross. Martin Zubimendi then scored an excellently-worked Arsenal goal, though Chelsea’s defending left plenty to be desired, and it could have been four had Sanchez not produced a brilliant save with his foot to deny Mikel Merino.
That save proved crucial when the ball broke to Garnacho from a corner, and the Blues substitute did well to keep the ball down and get Chelsea back into the tie.
Robert Sanchez - 3
A big error for the opener. Sanchez came, swung and missed, allowing Ben White to score from the corner. A really poor piece of goalkeeping. Sanchez almost gave away a second with a dodgy pass in the 11th minute, which would have been a really nightmare start. The second moment to forget would come in the 49th minute when Sanchez tried to catch a cross across the floor instead of pushing it away. The ball slipped through his hands and rolled to Gyokeres, who tapped home the second.
Sanchez couldn’t do anything about the third goal and did do very well to deny Mikel Merino in the 75th minute. Still, it was a clumsy performance from Sanchez, and it defined the game.
Josh Acheampong (Off at 52’) - 5
Acheampong had a nice shot mid-way through the first half, bombing down the right and forcing Kepa to palm away. Defensively, Acheampong was caught absent on a couple of occasions, but there wasn’t anything egregious.
Wesley Fofana (Off at 74’) - 5
Composed on the ball but part of a Chelsea back-line that was pushed around by Arsenal’s front line too often. Someone has to take charge, and you’d like to see Fofana do it more often. Chelsea’s defenders should be embarrassed by the third goal, left dancing around as Arsenal dribbled and flicked their way through.
Trevor Chalobah - 5
The same goes for Chalobah. Solid in spells but too passive when it counts.
Marc Cucurella (Off at 81’) - 6
Looked a little off early on, standing still as a Joao Pedro cross went begging across goal and then failing to track a runner that led to a chance shortly after. Cucurella was unlucky for the second goal, engaging with his man and no one helped him, allowing the ball to go wide to a free Declan Rice, who was then able to cross for Gyokeres to score. The same sort of situation played out for the third goal. Cucurella gets an added point for his hard defensive work.
Andrey Santos - 5
Solid with the ball, but could have done more defensively, at times, with Arsenal able to play free passes from centre-back through the midfield. A better press from up top would have helped his case, but that midfield still needs to be locked up. He was then beaten far too easily in the box for the Zubimendi goal.
Enzo Fernandez - 6
A similar case with Enzo, but he did make some important interventions, earning him a slightly better rating.
Estevao Willian - 7
Busy and tricky with the ball, but Estevao struggled to find space until the game opened up a little just before the hour-mark. He wasn’t able to get into dangerous enough areas, but the youngster can hold his head up high with his effort and bravery on the ball.
Joao Pedro (Off at 81’) - 5
A quiet first half other than a dangerous ball across the box that went unmet, albeit it may have been a scuffed shot. Pedro is one of Chelsea’s danger men, but he didn’t look like one in this one.
Pedro Neto - 6
Showed plenty of endeavour, though he was regularly frustrated in the first half. A lovely cross for Chelsea’s goal, but Neto has to do more defensively. Cucurella is left on his own far too often, and that’s not sustainable.
Marc Guiu (Off at 52’) - 5
Worked hard off the ball but lacked presence. Guiu was not a threat for Arsenal’s experienced back line. Although, he didn’t get much service, either.
Substitutes
Alejandro Garnacho (On at 52’) - 8
A composed finish less than five minutes after coming on to get Chelsea back in the game. He then had a quiet spell only to pop up again in the 84th minute, thumping home a second ball from a corner and doing very well to keep it down. Garnacho has been the man for Chelsea in this competition, and he will surely have earned a start in the second leg.
Benoit Badiashile (On at 52’) - 6
Came on at full-back then switched to centre-back. Proved a more solid option than Acheampong but nothing stand-out.
Jorren Hato (On at 74’’) - 6
Solid enough. Rosenior will have no complaints.
Much the same for Tosin.
Unable to impact the game, though the youngster had limited time, and this was a big game to come into, so he gets a neutral rating.
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