Grading the Chelsea Players on Champions League Performances so Far
Chelsea have reached the halfway point of the 2014-15 Champions League group stages as the only unbeaten side in Group G. The Blues are top of the group with seven points from a possible nine and have beaten their own record win in the competition in the process.
With three games played, it's time to take a look at how the players have performed so far. Those that have played less than 90 minutes so far have been classed as "cameos" for the purposes of this ranking, and grades have been based on contribution as well as expectations of the player.
Statistics are from WhoScored unless otherwise noted.
Cameos
1 of 5
Mohamed Salah
Minutes: 6
Goals/Assists: 0/0
Grade: B
Mohamed Salah’s opportunities have been limited by the excellent performances that Andre Schurrle and Willian have put in on the right of the attack.
He was given a brief cameo appearance against Sporting Lisbon and had a shot saved, but will have to hope that Chelsea’s current injury crisis worsens if he is to see more minutes in the second round of Group G matches.
Dominic Solanke
Minutes: 21
Goals/Assists: 0/0
Grade: C
Seventeen-year-old striker Dominic Solanke was given his competitive debut for the last 20 minutes of Chelsea’s 6-0 win over NK Maribor.
He completed all four of his attempted passes, but his contribution was limited by the fact that the game had been all but over as a contest since the first half.
Nathan Ake
Minutes: 34
Goals/Assists: 0/1
Grade: B+
Nineteen-year-old Dutch midfielder Nathan Ake made his first appearance in the Champions League this season when he replaced Cesc Fabregas with half an hour to go against NK Maribor.
He took on the Spaniard’s mantle and played in Eden Hazard for the Belgian’s second goal of the night, as well as completing 95 percent of his passes.
As the games begin to come thick and fast, Ake is one of the fringe players who should be used in the midfield rotation to relieve some of the pressure on Nemanja Matic and Fabregas.
John Obi Mikel
Minutes: 19
Goals/Assists: 0/0
Grade: C
John Obi Mikel is finding opportunities hard to come by at Chelsea this season. With Nemanja Matic and Cesc Fabregas making up Jose Mourinho’s first-choice midfield pairing, and the likes of Nathan Ake and Ramires ahead of him in the rotation, the Nigerian midfielder could be out in the cold for the rest of the Champions League group games.
Loic Remy
Minutes: 33
Goals/Assists: 1/0
Grade: B+
Chelsea’s participation in the Champions League was one of the factors that made Loic Remy choose the Blues over other suitors for his services this summer.
He made a cameo appearance as the Blues tried to regain the advantage in the 1-1 draw with Schalke 04 at Stamford Bridge to no avail, and was given his first start against NK Maribor in the absence of Diego Costa.
He scored the first goal of the game after 13 minutes but injured himself in the process, and will be assessed by the club’s medical staff to see the extent of the damage.
Andre Schurrle
Minutes: 59
Goals/Assists: 0/0
Grade: B-
Andre Schurrle has only made one start in the Champions League this season, against Sporting Lisbon in Portugal. He had three shots on target in that game but was the first of the attacking midfielders to be substituted.
Illness stopped him from appearing against NK Maribor, but the World Cup winner will be hoping for a chance in the second round of group games.
Ramires
Minutes: 68
Goals/Assists: 0/0
Grade: C+
Ramires started the opening game of the campaign against Schalke 04 at Stamford Bridge, but his contribution has since been restricted by injury. He had one shot on target in that match before being substituted for the more creative Oscar with 20 minutes to go.
If he can recover from injury in time, there is every chance he will make the starting XI for the away leg against NK Maribor in Slovenia.
Goalkeepers
2 of 5
Thibaut Courtois
Minutes: 180
Goals Conceded: 1
Grade: A-
Thibaut Courtois started the matches against Schalke 04 and Sporting Lisbon, keeping a clean sheet in the latter game. Per Squawka.com, Courtois has made an average of three saves per game, but will need to improve his woeful 59 percent distribution accuracy if he is to get his place back for the second phase of matches.
Petr Cech
Minutes: 90
Goals Conceded: 0
Grade: A
Cech made his first start in the 2014-15 Champions League against NK Maribor and, barring some speculative shots from outside the area, was never really tested. His distribution accuracy was an impressive 84 percent, and he made a good case for keeping his place in goal for the remaining group stage matches.
Defenders
3 of 5
Branislav Ivanovic
Minutes: 270
Goals/Assists: 0/0
Grade: B+
Branislav Ivanovic may not have found the back of the net in the Champions League so far this season, but his marauding runs down the right have contributed to some of Chelsea’s best pieces of attacking play.
His average of 2.7 tackles per game is impressive, but he is still struggling to balance his defensive duties with what he brings to the attack.
With Filipe Luis in excellent form on the left, Ivanovic could risk losing his place at right-back to Cesar Azpilicueta later in the group stages.
Filipe Luis
Minutes: 270
Goals/Assists: 0/0
Grade: A
Filipe Luis has been limited to Champions League appearances since joining Chelsea this summer but has made the most of his chances.
His average of 5.7 tackles per game is joint-highest in the squad, and he has made more interceptions than anyone else, with an average of 2.3 per game.
If he keeps up this work rate he should find opportunities more forthcoming in the Premier League as well as the Champions League.
Gary Cahill
Minutes: 180
Goals/Assists: 0/0
Grade: B-
Gary Cahill’s form has been up and down this season, and he was rested for the 6-0 win over NK Maribor.
The centre-half has made just one tackle and one interception across the two games he has played in Europe this season, but his average of 7.5 clearances per game goes some way to redeeming that.
He should return for the trip to Slovenia, but could find himself making more appearances alongside Kurt Zouma rather than his more familiar partner John Terry.
John Terry
Minutes: 270
Goals/Assists: 1/1
Grade: A+
John Terry put in a captain’s performance against NK Maribor and scored his first goal of the season. More surprising was the fact that he had run the full length of the pitch to finish off the counter attacking move that he had started.
Despite this, Terry’s defensive duties have not been up to his high standards in the competition so far, as the fact that he is yet to make a tackle signifies. Still, he brings more to the side than can be measured with numbers, and the experience he can pass on to Kurt Zouma will prove invaluable for the future of Chelsea.
Kurt Zouma
Minutes: 90
Goals/Assists: 0/0
Grade: A
Kurt Zouma made his Champions League debut for Chelsea against NK Maribor and looked far older than his 19 years. He had the highest passing accuracy of any Chelsea player, finding his target 97 percent of the time, and Mourinho told the official Chelsea website that he is “ready to play any match” which bodes well for his future at the club.
Midfielders
4 of 5
Oscar
Minutes: 169
Goals/Assists: 0/0
Grade: B
Oscar has made an average of two tackles per game and completed 84 percent of his passes so far in the Champions League this season.
Mourinho’s first-choice No.10 is yet to register a goal or an assist, but his record in previous seasons suggests that they are not far off.
Eden Hazard
Minutes: 265
Goals/Assists: 2/1
Grade: A+
Eden Hazard has been relieved of the burden of being Chelsea’s top scorer, which has allowed him to focus on what he does best: creating space and chances for his team-mates.
Against NK Maribor he scored twice, and his goal from open play was the pick of the bunch. Hazard has recorded the highest number of shots per game with 3.3, and he has averaged 6.3 dribbles per match, making him far and away the most creative of Chelsea’s attacking midfielders.
Cesc Fabregas
Minutes: 241
Goals/Assists: 1/2
Grade: A
Cesc Fabregas got his first goal for Chelsea in the 1-1 draw with Schalke 04 and set John Terry up for his first of the season against NK Maribor.
He has averaged 3.3 key passes per game so far, and his partnership with Nemanja Matic in the heart of midfield has been key to the Blues’ increased strength this season.
Nemanja Matic
Minutes: 270
Goals/Assists: 1/0
Grade: A
Nemanja Matic equals Filipe Luis in having made the most tackles in the Champions League for Chelsea, averaging 5.7 per game.
His partnership with Cesc Fabregas in midfield has seen him take the most touches on average, and his goal against Sporting Lisbon could be crucial to the Blues securing qualification from Group G as soon as possible.
Willian
Minutes: 197
Goals/Assists: 0/0
Grade: C+
Willian has made on average two key passes each game in the Champions League this season but is yet to turn his contribution into goals.
He came close against NK Maribor, striking the crossbar in the second half, but with Andre Schurrle set to return from his sickbed soon, Willian might find himself benched for the second round of group games.
Strikers
5 of 5
Diego Costa
Minutes: 106
Goals/Assists: 0/0
Grade: B+
Compared to his astonishing form in the Premier League, Diego Costa has struggled in the Champions League so far this season. The striker is yet to open his scoring account and has spent more time on the bench than the pitch as Mourinho tries to preserve his fitness.
However, he has still managed two shots per game and will surely make a crucial contribution later in the competition.
Didier Drogba
Minutes: 150
Goals/Assists: 1/0
Grade: A-
Didier Drogba played the full 90 minutes against Schalke 04 without scoring, but was able to open his account from the penalty spot against NK Maribor.
The 36-year-old has struggled for fitness so far this season and is unlikely to play more than a supporting role when the competition reaches its latter stages, but the nostalgia factor of seeing Drogba score in the Champions League again is worth it for many fans.
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