Good evening, Chelsea fans. Here are your evening headlines for Sunday, November 1.
Mount confirms favoured role
Since breaking into the Chelsea side under Frank Lampard, Mason Mount has played in a variety of positions behind the striker. But against Burnley on Saturday, he was used in a central midfield role and starred.
And Mount admitted after the Blues' 3-0 win at Turf Moor that he considers himself a number eight, a role he said he loves playing.
“I am a No.8 and a midfielder,” the England international told Chelsea's in-house media after the final whistle at Turf Moor.
“I have always been in my whole career, so it is natural for me to play in there and I know I have started a bit wider this season, but I love playing in midfield.
“It is my position and the fluidity we had in the game with the wingers [was good today].”
Ziyech playing with confidence
Hakim Ziyech says he is playing with confidence after scoring his second goal of the season in his first Premier League start.
Earlier this week, Lampard praised Ziyech’s attitude and self-belief, before selecting the new signing to make his first league start at Turf Moor. Ziyech rewarded him with a goal, an assist, and excellent all-around performance in the 3-0 victory.
And after the game, the Moroccan international told Chelsea’s in-house media: “It has been a really good week for me and hopefully we can continue.
“Especially after the European game, coming here [to Burnley], I think we did a really good game. We started well and gave Burnley problems. They had one big chance at the beginning but after that we controlled the game.
“It is one of the most important things, that you play with confidence and don’t be scared of making mistakes. Life at Chelsea is good, I am where I am supposed to be. I feel good and feel at home and everything is fine.”
Numbers behind Mendy’s impressive start
Edouard Mendy has kept five successive clean sheets for Chelsea and has conceded just one goal since joining the club from Rennes in the summer transfer window. But as detailed here, the goalkeeper's greatest asset is the confidence he gives to the defenders in front of him
The only goal conceded by the 28-year-old came during his debut against Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup. He has since kept the same number of clean sheets that Kepa Arrizabalaga has managed in 2020 and has only faced 13 shots on target in six games, none of which came in the win over Burnley.
This is a byproduct of the confidence that Mendy instils in those in front of him, which is only aided by the introduction of Thiago Silva at centre-back.
In comparison to Kepa, his calming influence is stark, and it flies in the face of the nervousness of Chelsea’s defending last season and in the opening games of this campaign.
