Well the international break is a bit of a bummer for us Chelsea fans. After a run of results I really wasn’t ready to stop watching Chelsea thump teams by at least three goals.
However, having an Italian father (as previously mentioned) the Nations League is something I’m becoming rather fond of as Italy are starting to play some really good football. Jorghino at the heart of its mind (cue Kiddo cursing!).
Anyway let’s get onto the three players I’ve chosen this week.
First up, Hakim Ziyech. Now this guy has blown me away. I remember watching him for Ajax back in 2019 when he turned Real Madrid, Juventus and Spurs upside down. Granted Ajax didn’t get to the final, but Ziyech was by far the player that was going to take them there.
His goals really made him stand out. Lethal strikes that left the keepers with no chance. Not to mention the vision he showed. Fast forward to 2020. Chelsea have signed him ready for the start of the 2020-21 season. I was so excited.
Annoyingly he missed the start of season due to injury. A problem that really affected Chelsea as I believe that If he had been playing against Liverpool and Man United, we’d have come away with more than a point.
He really showed what he could offer this Chelsea team in the game against Krasnador I think. His passing and shooting were superb. He took his goal really well too with a confident low drive into the bottom corner.
Since that game he’s just got better and better. He just looks so confident. Another thing I have noticed about him is the happiness he has when he plays. He’s always smiling, always joking with the other players. This is a true team player and a real leader.
Back when we had John Terry, Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, Petr Cech, Michael Ballack and Ashley Cole, the team had multiple leaders. I think we have another one coming into this Chelsea team with Ziyech. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for him as a Chelsea player. Aside from the game against Burnely I think he’s been our best player every game. (Yes better than Jorghino!)
Next up is Kepa Arrizabalaga. A little mention for Dean Mears who made a fantastic point about the young keeper this week. He’s young and he’s been taking flack from Chelsea fans for nearly two years now. Yes he does make some mistakes as most keepers do. Edouard Mendy will make mistakes, it’s a fact trust me, he will screw up soon, as he nearly did against Man United.
Kepa however has also got some amazing moments in a Chelsea shirt. That amazing performance against Frankfurt in the Europa League sticks in my mind, easily our Man of the Match that game. Tottenham in the Carabao Cup, absolutely awesome that game, and even better when it went to penalties. I also think he gets unlucky in the shirt too. The game against Valencia last season at the Mestailla is a prime example of this. He had saved a penalty in that game before Valencia equalised with a very lucky goal against the run of play that was a cross-come shot. I think he does have some growing up to do though as a few games where things aren’t quite going his way you can see him throwing his arms about complaining which isn’t a way to act in a team environment. I also think he argues amongst the players a fair bit too.
The exact opposite to Ziyech, Kepa always looks miserable. Similar to how Alvaro Morata used to look when he used to play. All in all though I’m going to leave you with one thought for Kepa, De Gea started as a laughing stock for Man United when he first joined by making silly mistakes. He then went on to be the most sought out keeper in world football. Let’s hope Kepa can do the same. As a side note, I’m not sure that Kepa has played with the new defensive formation as well as the new 4-3-3 formation. Would Thiago Silva help raise Kepa’s game too? I think it for sure could.
Finally, the fan favourite keeper of my generation, Petr Cech. Now I have always thought Petr has been one of the coolest players Chelsea have ever had. I mean he wore a helmet like some sort of sporty Robocop. One of the first games I saw at the Bridge was when the 2008/09 kit had debuted at the end of the season and Cech emerged from the tunnel in a bright orange kit. I thought he looked so cool and I thought he looked so intimidating to the other teams he then lined up against.
The following years of success that he then had was at the centerpiece of what was unprecedented. 2012 FA Cup final, a tremendous save from an Andy Carrol header that definitely didn’t cross the line. 2012 Champions League Semi-final and Final. Supreme performances that stopped Messi and Gomez over three games. The penalty shoot-out to end all penalty shoot-outs that saw Cech save Olic and Schwinsteiger’s (yes he touched that 5th penalty).
2013 when he kept us in the final of the Europa League with some vital saves. Plus all the games in between from 2004. He was a true servant to Chelsea and I think he earned the move to Arsenal. Let’s not forget the four goals he let in when we played him in that 2019 Europa League Final! I also think he will be a huge help for Kepa as I’m sure they now probably train together. With any luck Cech can teach him a thing or two.
But one of my favourite memories was when me, my middle brother and my dad met him just before the final game of the 2011-12 season before the Champions League Final. He posed for a picture with us and as he left my dad wished him good luck for the following Wednesday. An encouraging word from a pleased dad is something I think to this day was what helped him save those penalties. Thank you Petr, it’s good to have you back!
