For a game in which the strategy appeared to be 'start as few players involved in the international break as possible' I suppose we did rather well.

Take your pick. Please - no ironic votes.

As good as Kova was it’d have been 3-3 without Mendy. 

Mendy, absolutely world class saves and kept us in it in the first half. We could have easily been 3 or 4 down.

Mendy, he won us that game just as much as Kovacic did.

Honourable mentions to Kova and Lukaku, but it was Mendy who kept us in the game. Brilliant performance from our goalkeeper.

Best keeper in the world, Edouard Mendy. 

Kovacic, great assist and goal.

1 hour ago, Deino said:

Best keeper in the world, Edouard Mendy. 

Wait until he goes to the African Cup with Senegal. Who do we have ah yes, Kepa! Never a miscalculation with him lol

Mendy

Hate giving my MOTM to a goalkeeper but this time I’ve no choice. Mendy kept us in the game, along with that master Silva.

well played to Kova and Lukaku.

I thought Kova’s effort through out was excellent. His run and pass for lukaku’s first was outstanding. The pass unlike many by chelsea was perfectly weighted. Mendy a good second choice. 

Edited September 11, 20214 yr by ozboy

Would like to give it to Lukaku. Starved of service, runs ignored, final ball to him was appalling but boy was he so clinical when he did get it.

However if it was not for Mendy we would have been losing 1-3 at the break and would have lost the game, so have to give it to him. Brilliant. Best keeper in the world.

Boy are we screwed when the ACoN starts.

Clearly Mendy. We would likely have gone home with zero points rather than three had it not been for him. That he managed to keep a clean sheet despite the barrage of chances Villa had is testament to his brilliance.

Honourable mentions to Thiago Silva for somehow managing to get in the way of so many things in the first half, and Kovačić for coming up with the two pieces of genius and alertness which ultimately won us the game (and having to run the midfield on his own for half the game).

Went for Mendy but watching live,  Silva talking and positioning and decision making was excellent. Don’t need an armband to be a leader.