Chelsea managed their second win in a row under Enzo Maresca, beating West Ham 3-0 at the London Stadium, winning for the first time there since 2021.
Maresca’s men kept their second clean sheet in consecutive games too. After struggling to keep the ball out of the net last campaign, this will be a very welcome sight for Chelsea fans, as the likes of Levi Colwill, Wesley Fofana and Marc Cucurella continue to build consistency.
Nicolas Jackson scored a first-half brace to put the Blues 2-0 up at half-time, before also setting up Cole Palmer just minutes after the break, giving Chelsea a 3-0 lead and a comfortable rest of the afternoon.
Jackson & Palmer’s performance in numbers
Jackson has started the season in red-hot form, scoring four goals in his opening five Premier League games, and also providing two assists for the Blues.
Palmer, on the other hand, has started the new campaign as more of a playmaker for Maresca’s side, but that hasn’t stopped him from grabbing two goals to go along with his four assists.
Both players provided exquisite finishes, with Jackson applying a “trivela” (outside the foot) finish for his second goal, and Palmer smashing one in off the upright, for Chelsea’s third.
Alongside his three goal contributions, Jackson also made two key passes, had two big chances created, and had two shots blocked. Meanwhile, Palmer made one key pass, completed 2/3 long balls, created one big chance, and won 6/8 of his ground duels.
But despite these two Chelsea stars’ excellent performances, there is another man who was as important, if not even more important.
Levi Colwill’s game in numbers
Colwill put in another formidable performance in central defence, scoring an excellent 8/10 rating from GOAL. The defender made a whopping eight clearances, won 50% of his aerials duels, completed one key pass, two of three long balls, and managed an 89% pass accuracy.
To rubberstamp the defender’s important, the England international had 74 touches in the game, which is more than Jackson (30), and Palmer (31) combined.
Colwill is evidently pivotal for Maresca’s side, especially when it comes to breaking the lines with his passing, often kickstarting Chelsea’s attacks with incisive passes into the midfield.
Colwill 2024/25 stats so far | |
|---|---|
Stats (per 90 mins) | Colwill |
Progressive Carries | 0.60 |
Progressive Passes | 4.40 |
Passes Attempted | 71.0 |
Pass Completion % | 92.1% |
Passes into Final Third | 4.40 |
Tackles | 0.60 |
Blocks | 1.40 |
Interceptions | 1.11 |
Aerials Won | 2.20 |
Stats taken from FBref | |
Often averaging the most touches for Chelsea, and orchestrating play from the back, Colwill makes 4.40 progressive passes per 90. This is a key feature in his game, and something that is very important to the new Blues boss, as he looks to maintain possession, looking for the right opening before firing a pass into the midfield, or even directly into the forward line.
Colwill’s passing ability is arguably his best quality, with a limitless range, and an array of techniques, showcasing his quality on the ball. But the 21-year-old is also imperious at the back, averaging 2.20 aerials won per 90, and 1.11 interceptions.
Colwill has had a superb start to the season and is becoming one of the first names on the teamsheet for Maresca’s Chelsea side, as the Blues’ defensive record continues to improve.
