West Ham 1-2 Chelsea Player Ratings: new side to Cesc?

Goals from Eden Hazard and Diego Costa helped Chelsea go ten points clear at the top of the Premier League with a 2-1 win at West Ham – but how did players on both teams rate?

West Ham United

Darren Randolph – saved well from Pedro and Costa but perhaps shouldn’t have charged out of his goal for the opener. 4

Cheikhou Kouyaté – got forward well early on but tried too hard at times. Looked clumsy defensively and left space in behind for Hazard. 3
Jose Fonte – for a player of his experience, his positioning was surprisingly naïve. Vacated space for Hazard to exploit on occasions. Headed wide from Reid’s first half cross. 3
Winston Reid – won his battles early on but lost Costa, the man he was marking, for the second goal. 4
Aaron Cresswell – battled on for 90 minutes despite an apparent knock after blocking a shot from Moses, who he largely kept quiet. One or two good crosses from deep. 7

Mark Noble – pushed forward too often whilst lacking the pace to make up ground. His legs had gone by the end. 2
Pedro Obiang – battled well early on and was one of West Ham’s more competitive performers. Could have done better with Kouyate alongside him. 7

Sofiane Feghouli – lively in patches and forced Moses into a second half block. Unconvincing when asked to pass, too many sideways or wasteful balls. 3
Manuel Lanzini – needs to create more. Denied space in central areas and didn’t get into the game until his smart finish in injury time. 5
Robert Snodgrass – looked bright in the first 25 minutes and got space on the left. His influence waned after that – when he ran for the ball it looked like a slog. 4

Andy Carroll – couldn’t time his jumps when Chelsea were on top and was handled well by the centre-backs. 2

Andre Ayew (on 64) – looked lively and set up Lanzini’s consolation goal. 7
Sam Byram (on 64) – one or two good forward runs down the right. 6
Edimilson Fernandes (on 77)

Chelsea

Thibaut Courtois – a credit to the way Chelsea defended that he was not asked make a save, baring Lanzini’s injury time goal. 4

Cesar Azpilicueta – a solid performance, despite a few jittery moments late on when moved to wing-back. 7
David Luiz – superb in the air and played one or two clever passes over the top. 9
Gary Cahill – often the one who stepped out of defence and moved into the opposing half, setting up some periods of effective ball retention. 9

Victor Moses – struggled to get in behind Cresswell in the first half, but made some vital blocks and clearances at the other end. 6
Cesc Fàbregas – some good covering work during Chelsea’s tough early spell. One or two clever fouls suggests he is improving defensively. 7
N’Golo Kanté – didn’t engage with the ball early enough in the early stages but steadily grew in influence and started up a couple of breakaways. 7
Marcos Alonso – handled Feghouli with reasonable comfort, without producing much in an attacking sense. 5

Pedro – good movement in the first half. Chelsea lost some counter-attacking impetus when he came off. 7
Diego Costa – quiet first half. Didn’t press the ball early enough in the first 25 minutes and was isolated at times, but scored the second just after the break. 5
Eden Hazard – Chelsea’s best attacking player in the first half and took his goal well. Could have been more combative without the ball. 7

Nemanja Matic (on 65) – added more power than Pedro, but naturally not as much pace. 4
Willian (on 75) – pressed into the opposing half at times and laid the ball off for Fabregas’ late effort. 5
Kurt Zouma (on 76) – did little wrong in the role he was given, but Chelsea missed Moses when he came off. 4