Chelsea vs. West Brom: Winners and Losers from Premier League
Chelsea and West Bromwich Albion drew 2-2 on Wednesday night in an intense Barclays Premier League match at Stamford Bridge.
Cesar Azpilicueta gave the hosts the lead in the 20th minute, but Craig Gardner pulled West Brom level 13 minutes later. Chelsea went ahead for a second time in the 73rd minute as Gareth McAuley registered an own goal, but James McClean earned a point for the visitors with a low shot four minutes from time.
The draw left Chelsea in 14th place with 24 points. The Blues remain six points clear of the relegation zone. West Brom fell to 13th, three points ahead of their hosts.
Here, Bleacher Report selects winners and losers from the match.
Winner: Cesc Fabregas
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Cesc Fabregas made his 50th Premier League start for Chelsea and marked the occasion with a fine performance in midfield. The Spaniard contributed to the buildup for both of his side's goals and controlled the game for much of his 78 minutes on the pitch.
Chelsea took the lead in the 20th minute as Cesar Azpilicueta tapped in a Branislav Ivanovic cross at the back post, but the scoring sequence started with Fabregas picking out Diego Costa with a pass lofted into the box.
Similarly, Fabregas pulled the strings for the Blues' second strike, freeing Willian on the right before Gareth McAuley diverted the Brazilian's cross into his own net in the 73rd minute.
The rumor mill has churned out a few stories lately claiming that Chelsea might sell Fabregas this month. Although this season hasn't seen the Spaniard hit the heights he reached last term, Wednesday's match served as a reminder of what Fabregas can do.
Loser: Pedro
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Pedro gave the ball away to Darren Fletcher in the 33rd minute, directly contributing to West Brom's first goal. Craig Gardner made him pay for the lapse, hammering in a low shot from distance to level the score.
Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink then took Pedro off at halftime, completing an ineffective display for the Spanish attacker. Pedro has not impressed since his move from Barcelona last summer, and this was hardly a night for him to remember.
Winner: Craig Gardner Striking the Ball
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Craig Gardner might not have been on the pitch if not for an injury to James Morrison. But the midfielder grabbed his chance with both hands, firing in an impressive goal for West Brom in the 33rd minute.
Picking up possession in the center, Gardner advanced toward the box before unleashing a fierce, low drive that beat Thibaut Courtois and nestled in the back of the net at the far post.
While Gardner might not offer the same level of creativity as Morrison, this goal showed he can strike the ball with real venom.
Very, Very Nearly a Loser: Claudio Yacob
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Claudio Yacob walked a fine disciplinary line with referee Anthony Taylor, escaping a sending off twice.
The Argentine earned a yellow card in the 25th minute after pulling back Willian as Chelsea tried to counter. He committed a similar infraction 12 minutes later, against Oscar, but Taylor declined to show a second yellow and subsequent red.
There was another let-off in the 57th minute, when Yacob tripped up Diego Costa away from the ball. Taylor whistled for a foul but again decided against a second booking—much to the dismay of the home fans at Stamford Bridge.
West Brom boss Tony Pulis immediately withdrew Yacob, who escaped discipline on this time but easily could have been sent off on another day.
"I thought Yacob was lucky on the second one not to get sent off," Pulis said, per BBC Sport. "We were a bit fortunate. One more and he would have gone."
Loser: Worrying Trends for Chelsea
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Chelsea dominated possession, but a draw was probably a fair result based on how many chances each team created. Regardless, that meant two more dropped points for the Blues at Stamford Bridge, continuing a worrying trend for the club this season.
Through 11 home games this campaign, Chelsea have now dropped 18 points. The Blues have won just four of those 11, drawing three and losing four. By comparison, the title-winning side of last season went unbeaten at Stamford Bridge, dropping just eight points all year.
Meanwhile, Chelsea have now conceded 31 goals, just one fewer than all of the 2014-15 season.
Interim manager Guus Hiddink has plenty of issues to fix before the end of the season, but those two areas might rank among his top priorities.
"The unbeaten run goes on but we would have preferred the win," Hiddink told BBC Sport. "West Brom always bounce back, there is great character. It was an intense game."
