I have a good feeling about Hakim Ziyech. In a time when he’s needed to turn up, he has not let the Blues down.
He has by far been Chelsea’s best forward in 2022, and he deserves all the flowers.
Chelsea travelled to the depths of south London to face Crystal Palace. It was a hard-fought battle as the Eagles managed to cause the Blues some problems. However, Ziyech made all the difference, just like he had done against Tottenham and Brighton.
The Moroccan has shown his worth, and that should do it for another season with the Blues. We all know the time is coming where the Chelsea attack will go up for scrutiny, and one of them will leave this summer.
It took 89 minutes, but Chelsea took the three points against Crystal Palace. What an effort that was. It was not the best of performances from the Blues. It was probably one to forget for many fans, but I’m sure this will go down as a turning point for the Moroccan.
Ziyech found the back of the net twice, the first goal being ruled out for offside. It was a reward for a solid performance from the 28-year-old. Romelu Lukaku had yet another questionable performance along with Christian Pulisic. Kai Havertz completed the quadruple attack but in a much deeper role than what he was used to. He made the most of his role, but it wasn't one of his best.
It comes as a huge relief as Ziyech climbs his way up the pecking order. It seemed as though he was completely out of favour and at the bottom of the list regarding Thomas Tuchel's choice. Despite having a sensational semi-final, he was even left on the bench in the Club World Cup final.
A consistent run of games is needed to unlock a player’s full potential to increase confidence. Surely Tuchel cannot bench the wizard and his wicked left foot? Ziyech is finally having a run, similar to when he initially joined under Frank Lampard. He had a few promising games before his injury in 2020, and now in 2022, he is showing the fans that his best is still yet to come.
The Chelsea boss will have several things to think about following another flawless performance from Ziyech. The summer transfer window is around the corner. He was recently tipped to leave in the January transfer window - thank goodness that fell through. If he continues in this upward trajectory, I do not see an exit for the Moroccan any time soon. This will potentially leave the door open to one of Ziyech's teammates to be next in line to be sold.
Marina Granovskaia will need to weigh the pros and cons of all the attacking players in the next few months to decide if to stick or twist.
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