It may have been Eden Hazard and Diego Costa who again took the eye with their goals — but for West Ham’s Robert Snodgrass, it was Chelsea’s “phenomenal organisation” which sets them apart from the rest at the top of the Premier League.
Snodgrass, who admits he is still settling in to an unaccustomed position on the left side of West Ham’s midfield, admitted today: “This is what happens when you play against teams at the elite level. When they get a chance, they punish you. It’s a bitter pill to swallow but you have to roll up your sleeves and carry on.
“You see all the attacking they do but what is less obvious is that, as a team, their shape and organisation is up there with the best. They work so hard on that aspect.
“They have players who work really hard for the team and their defensive organisation is phenomenal.
“What they do best is, when they go in front, they get people behind the ball and protect that lead. They do that so well.
“I played against them earlier in the season with Hull and they did exactly the same thing. We were the better team early on but then they scored two goals in five minutes and that was that.
“I thought we matched them at times in the game last night. We had chances but they made some good blocks. They are a very good side.”
Snodgrass also admitted that he and his team-mates were particularly disappointed by Chelsea’s second goal, scored from a corner by Costa.
“We were really disappointed to lose a goal from set a piece,” said the Scotland international, “because we work hard on them in training – but that’s twice it has happened in recent matches, first against West Brom and now Chelsea.
“The manager won’t be happy with that and we have to get back to the training ground and fix that problem.”
For Snodgrass however, there were some positives despite the defeat.
“I thought we were the better team in the first half but when you’re up against the league leaders you know you’re going to have spells in the game when you’re under the cosh,” he said.
“I’ve always played in the right of midfield or behind the striker but when the manager tells you to do a job for the team, you need to try and adapt to that. I tried to get crosses into the box for big Andy and at times I did that.”
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The former Leeds and Hull star needed nine stitches in a gashed knee but is hopeful of being fit for Saturday’s trip to Bournemouth.
“I don’t really know what happened,” he said. “I just looked down and there was a big gash on the side of my knee.”
