Chelsea are represented in the latest Premier League team of the week that has been selected by BBC pundit Garth Crooks.
Actually Garth is now down as a ‘Football Analyst’ these days, a posh term for a pundit then!
The performances by Cesar Azpilicueta and Eden Hazard in the one all draw with Liverpool at the weekend at Anfield was enough to earn them a place in the side alongside the other, in the opinion of the former Spurs striker anyway, most impressive performers in the topflight over the latest weekend.
I think we’ll already know ourselves, and not just based on the latest performance, why Crooks, we’ll also not argue with it, selected the duo as part of his team but explaining his choice he told the BBC.
Azpilicueta:
‘Azpilicueta’s block on Daniel Sturridge was of the highest order but his interception to deny Mohamed Salah was just breathtaking. Last season I was making these remarks about David Luiz who, it seems, had returned to Stamford Bridge to prove a point. He certainly did that. This season, however, he appears to have fallen out with his manager and team-mates, and has to sit on the bench until he gets his attitude right. In the meantime, Azpilicueta is doing all the things Luiz was doing for Chelsea, and looking magnificent at the same time. I’m also delighted the Spain international took my advice some weeks ago and told Tiemoue Bakayoko to get rid of that ridiculous blue rinse in his hair, and get down to working hard in training to produce the form that got him a move to the Bridge in the first place. The Frenchman can play but must realise that distractions like fancy hairstyles don’t help when you want to be taken seriously. Chelsea may be struggling to retain the Premier League title but there are still big trophies on offer and Azpilicueta will need all his team-mates – including Bakayoko – on point if they are to get their hands on any of them.’
Hazard:
‘The display at Anfield was a hell of a performance by Chelsea and Eden Hazard, considering their trip to Baku in the Champions League in midweek. To put this performance into context, Chelsea had a five-and-a-half-hour flight to contend with, and a four-hour time difference. That is roughly the time it takes to fly to North Africa, but with a time difference similar to New York. The Champions League is supposed to be a European competition, where all the teams are supposed to get a fair shake. It was hardly surprising that Blues boss Antonio Conte was doing his nut that this top-of-the-table domestic clash took place only 48 hours after arriving back in London. Regardless, Hazard was brilliant in his new role as the second striker, and with a better touch from Danny Drinkwater the midfielder might have scored his first goal for the Blues. The same was true of Davide Zappacosta, who brought a decent save from Simon Mignolet, and all before Salah got his 15th goal of the season. However, the way Hazard used his body strength to ease Philippe Coutinho off the ball in his own box while the rest of Anfield was asking for a penalty was simply genius. Referee Michael Oliver would have none of it – and quite rightly.’
It’s always good to see the club represented in this way, and well played to the duo for their recognition, but the most important thing about the weekend was of course the point.
Full Team:
Ben Foster (West Bromwich Albion), Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea), Lewis Dunk (Brighton), Vincent Kompany (Manchester City), Ryan Bertrand (Southampton), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Will Hughes (Watford), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Crystal Palace), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), Eden Hazard (Chelsea), Sergio Aguero (Manchester City).
