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Chelsea logo
Premier League
Dec 26, 2014 at 12.45pm UK
 
West Ham logo

2-0

Terry (31'), Costa (62')
FT(HT: 1-0)

Player Ratings: Chelsea 2-0 West Ham United

Sports Mole rates the performances of the players on show during Chelsea's 2-0 victory over West Ham United.

A goal either side of the break secured a 2-0 victory for Chelsea at the expense of London rivals West Ham United this afternoon.

The deadlock was broken by Chelsea skipper John Terry, who scored for the second Premier League match in succession.

Then, with 62 minutes played, summer signing Diego Costa put the game out of West Ham's reach when he fired in a low shot.

Here, Sports Mole has rated the performances of all the players that were on show at Stamford Bridge this afternoon.


CHELSEA

Diego Costa of Chelsea celebrates scoring their second goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Chelsea and West Ham United at Stamford Bridge on December 26, 2014© Getty Images

Goal

Thibaut Courtois: The fact that West Ham didn't have one shot on target shows that it was a largely uneventful outing for the Chelsea goalkeeper. (6/10)

Defence

Branislav Ivanovic: His dive (which wrongly went unpunished) aside, it was typical rampaging performance from Ivanovic. He won his fair share of tackles and was a threat down the right flank all game. (6/10)

John Terry: Another goal for the captain, who has had a new lease of life since Jose Mourinho's return to the club. He also dealt with the threat of Carroll well. (7/10)

Gary Cahill: When Terry needed help to contend with Carroll, Cahill was there to help. Like his central defensive partner, he also caused problems in the Newcastle box and went close to scoring twice. (6/10)

Cesar Azpilicueta: A steady outing from the Spanish full-back, who rarely lets his side down. He's easily one of the most dependable defenders in the Premier League. (6/10)

Midfield

Cesc Fabregas: There was no goal or assist from Fabregas, but it was still a very good performance. He pulled the strings throughout the encounter and started plenty of attacks. (7/10)

Nemanja Matic: The giant Serbian can do little wrong at present. As you'd expect, he broke up numerous attacks, but then got forward well and posed a threat on a couple of occasions. (8/10)

Oscar: Restored to the side to add a creative spark, Oscar certainly didn't disappoint. Everything about his play was fluid and on another day he may have had a goal or two to show for his efforts. (7/10)

Willian: He doesn't always get the headlines like some of his teammates, but Willian showed today why he is a vital cog in the Chelsea machine. The Brazilian was neat and tidy in possession, as well as putting in a good shift defensively. (7/10)

Eden Hazard: While it was a positive display all round from Chelsea, Hazard was the shining light. His pace, trickery and creative ability made him nigh on impossible to shackle in a performance that was only lacking a goal. (9/10)

Attack

Diego Costa: There had been some question marks raised over Costa's recent form, but he was back to his physical best. He was a constant thorn in the side of the West Ham defence and rounded off his performance with a well taken goal. (7/10)

Substitutes

Didier Drogba: The veteran put himself about in a physical sense and also had a couple of efforts from distance, but couldn't add to the score. (6/10)

John Obi Mikel: Brought on to shore up the midfield in the closing stages and the Nigerian did just that with minimal fuss. (6/10)

Ramires: There was plenty of endeavour about the little Brazilian, but the quality was lacking when he fluffed the chance to score from close range in stoppage time. (6/10)


WEST HAM

Andy Carroll of West Ham clashes with Branislav Ivanovic of Chelsea during the Barclays Premier League match between Chelsea and West Ham United at Stamford Bridge on December 26, 2014© Getty Images

Goal

Adrian: If anyone didn't deserve to be on the losing team, it was Adrian. The Spaniard kept the scoreline respectable with a string of impressive stops. (8/10)

Defence

Carl Jenkinson: With Hazard often running down his side, it was a difficult afternoon for Jenkinson. To his credit, he made some good challenges and stuck at his task throughout. (6/10)

Winston Reid: The New Zealander made one or two crucial and brave blocks in what was a relatively solid outing from the centre-back. (6/10)

James Collins: Similar to his partner Reid in that he made some important blocks and tackles. He was also unlucky to be booked. (6/10)

Aaron Cresswell: A tough outing for Cresswell, who at times had to contend with Ivanovic and Willian bombing at him. He did okay defensively, but struggled to get forward. (6/10)

Midfield

Mark Noble: Returning from an Achilles injury, Noble looked well short of match fitness. Having said that, he did put in a decent shift before he was replaced. (6/10)

Cheikhou Kouyate: Athletic throughout, yet Kouyate struggled to make an impact on proceedings. (5/10)

Kevin Nolan: A midfield player like Nolan tends to do his best work in and around the opposition's penalty area, but in short, West Ham couldn't get there often enough. A frustrating afternoon for the skipper. (5/10)

Stewart Downing: It was a disappointing out for Downing, who had been in good form of late. He struggled to get on the ball and when he did, his decision making was poor. (5/10)

Enner Valencia: There were occasions when his pace caused some problems to the Chelsea defence, but his final delivery often left a lot to be desired. (5/10)

Attack

Andy Carroll: For Carroll to be effective, he was going to need some good service, but it never arrived. Largely through no fault of his own, the tall striker had little impact. (6/10)

Substitutes

Alex Song While he was wasteful on occasions, Song did at least add some spark to the West Ham midfield. He won plenty of tackles and looked to get forward whenever he could. (6/10)

Diafra Sakho: There is no doubt that Sakho possesses the pace to cause problems to the Chelsea defence, but the opportunity never arose for West Ham's leading goalscorer. (6/10)

Morgan Amalfitano: The Frenchman came on in the closing stages and wasted a very good chance to get his side back into the contest. (5/10)


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Diego Costa of Chelsea celebrates scoring their second goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Chelsea and West Ham United at Stamford Bridge on December 26, 2014
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