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 David Luiz, Marcos Alonso and Eden Hazard in the three one victory over Bournemouth at the weekend at Dean Court 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 trio as part of his team but explaining his choice he told the BBC.
Luiz:
‘What a wonderful ball from David Luiz to Victor Moses. It resulted in Diego Costa’s superb turn and Chelsea’s fortuitous opening goal. I’m not in the least bit surprised by Luiz’s ability to knock a 40-yard pass. This is a defender with so much ability he can do that and much more. However, as the season draws to a close and Chelsea put a date in the diary for a trip to the Premier League engravers, I would like to commend manager Antonio Conte and technical director Michael Emenalo for having the foresight and courage to bring Luiz back to Stamford Bridge. The Brazil international is unrecognisable from the irrational player we saw during his first period at the club. Since his return, he has played some glorious football and been a unifying figure in a new era at the Bridge. If Chelsea are serious about winning the Champions League next season they must do whatever it takes to keep Luiz. There aren’t many great centre-backs out there, and those who do exist are with the biggest clubs in Europe. With a couple of strong additions to their squad, Chelsea could be serious Champions League candidates.’
Alonso:
‘I didn’t know who was going to take Chelsea’s free-kick – David Luiz, Victor Moses or Marcos Alonso. In the end it was Alonso who bent it past Artur Boruc with extraordinary accuracy. The harsh truth for Bournemouth, and the rest of the Premier League, is any one of those players could have planted the free-kick past Boruc, such is the quality and confidence that exists in the Chelsea ranks at the moment. The truth is I couldn’t leave Alonso out of my team of the week having scored a goal like that. Alonso has done this sort of thing before, of course, and I have no doubt he will do it again before Chelsea lift the Premier League trophy. Which they will.’
Hazard:
‘If David Luiz’s presence at Chelsea is central to any future Champions League campaign, then Eden Hazard is imperative. Real Madrid will know all about Hazard’s potential but will most certainly have noted his form this season. This is without doubt his best season in the Premier League. His performance against Bournemouth was wonderful to watch. I haven’t seen a player for sometime enjoy his football as much as Hazard is at the moment. He is playing with such freedom and confidence that makes me think that an audacious offer from Madrid is almost certain. There are not many players who can resist playing at the Bernabeu Stadium on a regular basis. So it is crucial that Chelsea boss Antonio Conte removes the rumours circulating the game about his possible return to Italy and starts focusing on the Champions League with Chelsea next season. That must be the next stage in Chelsea’s development.’
It’s always good to see the club represented in this way, and well played to all three for their recognition, but the most important thing about the weekend was of course the points.
Full Team:
Simon Mignolet (Liverpool), Matthew Lowton (Burnley), James Collins (West Ham United), David Luiz (Chelsea), Marcos Alonso (Chelsea), Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool), Fabian Delph (Manchester City), Roberto Firmino (Liverpool), Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Manchester United), Eden Hazard (Chelsea).
