Alejandro Garnacho produced the most complete performance of his Chelsea career to date, leading the charts in two rather unlikely areas.
The one player who has received heaps of criticism of late is Alejandro Garnacho, and what a way to answer your critics with that Aston Villa performance.
We gave Alejandro Garnacho 9/10 for his display against Aston Villa, which ranked even higher than Joao Pedro’s despite his hat-trick.
Whatever Liam Rosenior told Garnacho in training seems to have paid off, as he looked a constant threat in the final third and even created more than Cole Palmer at times.
But there were two stats in particular that will really surprise Chelsea supporters.
How many Premier League goals will Joao Pedro finish the season with? ⚽️
His hat-trick at Villa Park takes him to 14!
Chelsea's Brazilian striker #20 Joao Pedro scores
Photo by Darren Staples / AFP via Getty Images
Alejandro Garnacho tops duels and passing stats for Chelsea against Aston Villa
One of the biggest criticisms of Alejandro Garnacho since joining Chelsea has been his lack of defensive work and giving the ball away on too many occasions.
That wasn’t the case against Aston Villa, as he completed 24 out of 24 passes, giving him an 100% passing accuracy, which no other player on the pitch achieved.
As well as this, he won seven out of 10 ground duels, which was also more than any other player.
And he showed his unselfishness to square the ball for Joao Pedro to grab his hat-trick in the second half, when on another day he would’ve gone alone himself.
All stats via (FotMob).
Joao Pedro scores a perfect 10, but how would you rate his teammates?
Chelsea player ratings vs Aston Villa
Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Alejandro Garnacho now needs to prove his consistency
Believe it or not, Chelsea were thinking about potentially cashing in on Alejandro Garnacho in the summer, depending on how he performs until the end of the season.
To secure his future as a Chelsea mainstay, Alejandro Garnacho must prioritise consistent behaviours over occasional flashes of individual brilliance. While his statistical masterclass at Villa Park proved he can show defensive discipline, he still has a lot to prove.
With the club’s disciplinary record under intense scrutiny and new attacking reinforcements always a possibility in the BlueCo model, the 21-year-old must master self-control. This means refining his decision-making in the final third and prioritising the team over difficult solo efforts.
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