Chelsea 3, Wolves 1: Cucurella and Madueke come to Sanchez’s rescue as Blues re-enter top four race

On Blue Monday, CHELSEA delighted their supporters with stellar performances from their defenders.

Goals from Tosin Adarabioyo, Marc Cucurella, and a finish from Noni Madueke assisted by the returning Trevoh Chalobah disguised a relatively calm attacking effort and a mishap from their goalkeeper.

Lloyd Canfield reviews how the Blues’ players performed against Wolves…

Robert Sanchez – 2

Continued his trend of passing errors from the back, gifting opportunities to Wolves’ attackers ready to take advantage of any mistake.

This included a misplay of an in-swinging corner that led to Wolves leveling the score just before the break.

Reece James – 9

Faced what was likely the most challenging task of the night, managing Wolves’ menacing left flank featuring Ait-Nouri and Cunha, whom he effectively neutralized all match long.

He was defensively solid, consistently making key tackles and driving the team forward with his remarkable long-range efforts.

Tosin Adarabioyo – 8

Continued his impressive scoring form, quickly reacting to a loose ball in the penalty area and finishing with striker-like precision.

As the ‘Uncle’ of the Chelsea squad at just 28, he delivered yet another commendable performance.

Trevoh Chalobah – 9

His return to Chelsea after a loan spell at Crystal Palace could not have gone better.

The fans cheered his name throughout as he demonstrated his aerial prowess and strong ground play.

With slide tackles, blocks, and headed assists, Trev did it all, although he ultimately missed out on both a clean sheet and a potential goal.

Marc Cucurella – 8

Defensively strong, he also provided a crucial goal to regain Chelsea’s lead.

A stunning right-footed finish while falling showcased why he excels at inverting from fullback.

Moises Caicedo – 7

Started brightly, bouncing back from a past disappointing performance to remind Chelsea fans why they value him this season.

He showed resilience after a concerning tackle and had a solid second-half showing.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – 6

With a rare Premier League start, KDH displayed his potential, likely putting himself in line for a January transfer.

He was combative in midfield, and his flick that led to Marc Cucurella’s goal highlighted his ability to create threats in the league.

Noni Madueke – 8

After a quiet first half, he shone in the second, reminding us of the dynamic player we saw earlier this season following his infamous Instagram incident.

He emerged as Chelsea’s most dangerous attacker, delivering a superb cross for Marc Cucurella’s goal and then heading in Chelsea’s third of the evening.

Cole Palmer – 4

The composed player we’ve come to know appeared slightly out of sync this evening.

He took several hard knocks and seemed shaken after an injury earlier in the week.

Pedro Neto – 4

Faced jeers from the visiting fans, his former club’s supporters, throughout the match.

Despite making some threatening runs, he didn’t manage to create any significant opportunities and seemed more effective on the right side.

Nicolas Jackson – 5

Had one notable run during the first half but was mostly quiet otherwise.

He improved after the break, working diligently to win a free-kick that led to Chelsea’s third goal but found the net only to have it flagged offside by the linesman.

SUBSTITUTES

Jadon Sancho (Pedro Neto, 62) – 6

Chelsea appeared more lively with his introduction.

His presence on the wing added a level of control, exhibiting more of the flair and skill that fans anticipate from him.

Axel Disasi (Reece James, 78) – 5

Fans expressed frustration with his substitution for Josh Acheampong.

Nonetheless, he performed adequately without making any errors.

Malo Gusto (Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, 78) – 6

Made a solid contribution during his brief appearance, being reliable on the left side without standing out.

Tyrique George (Noni Madueke, 83) – 5

Didn’t have sufficient time to make a noteworthy impact on the match.

Joao Felix (Cole Palmer, 83) – 5

Also was not given enough time to meaningfully influence the game.