Wolverhampton Wanderers 0-0 Chelsea: Player ratings as Blues drop points in another stalemate | Premier League 2021-22
Chelsea slipped further behind in the Premier League title race after a goalless draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday. Chelsea started with just four outfield players on the bench due to a COVID-19 outbreak in Thomas Tuchel's side. As a result, an already depleted Chelsea squad struggled to break down a resilient Wolves defence.
Wolves started the better of the two sides, with Daniel Podence's 15th-minute goal chalked off for offside after a lengthy VAR consultation. The game soon turned rough with both sides struggling to get a hold of the ball throughout the rest of the first half.
Leander Dendoncker should have broken the deadlock minutes before the break, but his tame header was comfortably saved by Edouard Mendy. Chelsea fared themselves better in the second half, coming close through Christian Pulisic, who saw his effort saved by Jose Sa 12 minutes from time.
The result, coupled with a 4-0 win for Manchester City against Newcastle, means the Blues are now six points adrift of Pep Guardiola's league leaders.
The points are shared at Molineux.
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On that note, here's a look at the Chelsea player ratings from the game.
Edouard Mendy - 6/10
Mendy had very little to do for most of the game, as attacks on both ends were far and less in between. The goalkeeper was hardly tested, making just one save throughout the game.
Cesar Azpilicueta - 6/10
Azpilicueta struggled to deal with Fernando Marcal and Daniel Podence for most of the game. He was composed on the ball, and helped Chelsea in their build-up play. However, apart from that, it was a fairly quiet evening for the Spaniard.
Thiago Silva - 7/10
One of the very few bright spots in a rather frustrating display from Chelsea, Silva showed brilliant positional awareness and reading of the game. He helped keep things tight for the Blues.
Antonio Rudiger - 6/10
Rudiger was extremely solid throughout the 90 minutes. He made some brilliant runs to carry the ball forward for Chelsea. The centre-back was decent in his build-up play as well. He managed three recoveries, and completed 92% of his passes.
Reece James - 5/10
It was a rather uncharacteristic display from the full-back. He misplaced numerous passes throughout the game, and his poor positioning left Azpilicueta with way too much work to do at the back.
Marcos Alonso - 6/10
Alonso was a constant threat upfield. He made some brilliant overlapping runs throughout the game, but his crossing looked off on the night. He was not a big help in defence either.
Trevoh Chalobah - 5/10
Deployed in a rather unfamiliar midfield role, Chalobah failed to make the most of the opportunity. He visibly struggled to get a grip on the game against Wolves, and was rightly hooked off at half-time.
N'Golo Kante - 8/10
Straight back into the lineup, Kante was at it from the start. He broke up plays, shrugged players off the ball, and intercepted almost everything that was thrown at the Chelsea backline.
Mason Mount - 7/10
Mount looked uncharacteristically out of ideas, and failed to create game-defining chances throughout the evening. However, he pressed with intensity, and tried to force a positive result for the Blues, especially in the second half.
Hakim Ziyech - 6/10
Ziyech struggled to get involved in the game, registering zero shots on target. The Moroccan wasn't a great creative outlet either, and was rightly taken off around the hour mark.
Christian Pulisic - 5/10
Just like Ziyech, Pulisic also struggled to make an impact on the game. He struggled to get himself involved throughout the evening.
Pulisic shows good pace to get in behind, but sees his effort saved by Sa.
Better from Chelsea!
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He was guilty of missing a glorious second-half chance as well.
Ratings of Chelsea substitutes against Wolverhampton Wanderers
Saul Niguez - 6/10
Coming on as a second-half substitute for Chalobah, Niguez helped calm things down and control possession for Chelsea.
Mateo Kovacic - 6/10
Kovacic came on as a 65th-minute substitute for Hakim Ziyech. He looked bright and tidy on his arrival, but was very fortunate with a misplaced pass at the back.