Three takeaways from Paris Saint-Germain’s win over Chelsea
By Ryan Wrenn
Surprises and Absences
What quality Chelsea was able to manage came from two surprising sources: John Obi Mikel and Baba Rahman.
Both players have spent most of their seasons on Chelsea’s bench or starting in less-than-vital cup competitions, and consequently were both rumored to be on the way out of the club either permanently or on loan in the January transfer window. Guus Hiddink’s inclusion of both players was more about John Terry and Nemanja Matić’s absence than anything else, but he took the chance and were rewarded.
Obi Mikel’s night did not begin well at all however. He earned a yellow card for a foul on Lucas Moura and thereby set up the free-kick that Ibrahimović would subsequently convert to give PSG the lead. To make matters worse, while Chelsea keeper Thibaut Courtois seemed to anticipate the direction of Ibrahimović’s shot, the ball actually deflected off of Obi Mikel’s leg and sent it into goal well away from the Belgian. It was two minutes that, in short, the Nigerian will just as soon forget.
It didn’t stop him from performing well otherwise in the game. His first goal in over a year came a mere seven minutes after that debacle, and it might end up being one of the most important goals Chelsea scores all season.
Baba might not be able to claim the same amount of drama, but he proved to be among Chelsea’s most dangerous players throughout the match. It was his cross that found Costa for that near-miss midway through the first half, and he kept PSG full-back Marquinhos busy throughout the match. With Terry and Kurt Zouma injured, it could be that Chelsea fans will be seeing much more of Baba for the remainder of the season.
Next: Chelsea reach into the past