Wolves v Chelsea player ratings
Chelsea were beaten for the second successive Premier League game as they conceded a 95th-minute winner against Wolves. Here’s how we rated each Blues player in the 2-1 defeat at Molineux.
Edouard Mendy: 6
After a couple of mistakes that led to goals, Mendy will have been pleased with an error-free game in which he made a decent stop from Pedro Neto before the break and had no chance with either of the home side’s goals.
Reece James: 8
Even playing as a right-back James was only behind Christian Pulisic for the accolade of Chelsea’s most effective attacking player. His calmness in possession, touch and crossing ability is truly outstanding.
Thiago Silva: 7
The Brazilian made several excellent blocks and his reading of the game was every bit as important and telling as it has been throughout his short Chelsea career. Even when he gifted possession away late on, he quickly made amends.
Kurt Zouma: 6
Zouma was a fraction away from scoring with a phenomenally good header which smashed off the bar in the first half and was dependable throughout, but perhaps should have done better in defending the last-gasp winner.
Ben Chilwell: 7
He linked up superbly with Christian Pulisic in the second half and got forward throughout, most crucially in setting up Olivier Giroud’s volley which put the Blues ahead.
N’Golo Kante: 7
Kante won some crucial defensive challenges, once when making up for his own misplaced pass. The industry and effort is beyond compare when playing in the holding role.
Mason Mount: 7
Tenacious and tidy with a typically impressive workrate, Mount is the one Blues midfielder that can truly do everything and he showed his all-round qualities
Kai Havertz: 6
A marked improvement on his poor display against Everton, with more regular flashes of his quality. But although the confidence and sharpness is coming, there were still too many sloppy passes and the end product has to be better.
Christian Pulisic: 8
An outstanding return to action for the American winger, who was superb before the break, constantly beating his man and causing havoc. And although less effective after the interval, his performance levels remained very high.
Timo Werner: 5
His touch and anticipation deserted him on a couple of occasions in the opposition box in a generally – and uncharacteristically – tentative performance. It was one of the first times Werner has seemed slightly lacking in confidence.
Olivier Giroud: 6
Giroud should have scored with a first-half header from a Mount corner, as confirmed by his angry reaction. But he took his goal superbly well and had a decent game leading the line, a task that was helped by having the pace and threat of Pulisic to occupy the Wolves defence.
Mateo Kovacic: 5
Steady in possession after coming on but he was guilty of neglecting his covering duties and the game became increasingly stretched.
Tammy Abraham: 5
A hat-trick hero in last season’s 5-2 win at Molineux, Abraham came on for the final 20 minutes but made little impact.
