Benoit Badiashile was a surprise selection for yesterday’s game against Leicester. The defender has been very much fourth choice defender for most of this season, watching Levi Colwill and Wesley Fofana take the starting spots, and summer arrival Tosin Adarabioyo generally fill in when one isn’t available.
But recent strong showings in the Conference League seem to have pushed Badiashile above Tosin in the pecking order, and when injuries to both right backs meant Fofana was moved to the flank, it was Badiashile’s time to shine.
In the end he played really well. Leicester didn’t put up much of a fight, but Badiashile played a major part in that. It was notable that Jamie Vardy was kept very quiet in the game, and the Frenchman’s sweeping up was huge in stopping the supply to the striker.
His highlights from the game show how much time he spent on the ball: his languid left footed passing into midfield helped create a lot of chances, and he was more often called upon as a playmaker than a defender. He ended the game with 103 passes, more than anyone else on the pitch. His impressive 9 long balls were the most of any outfielder for Chelsea.
You can see his highlights in the clip embedded here:
Benoît Badiashile vs Leicester (A) pic.twitter.com/Z7kAnC1AV4
— ً (@AREDlTS) November 23, 2024
Badiashile does his part to earn Maresca’s trust back after some dodgy games
Badiashile will most likely drop out of the team when Gusto is back fit – but he seized his chance yesterday to show what he can do, and he will be delighted that his improvements in the Conference League translated to the Premier League.
Enzo Maresca’s trust in him will have increased, and with so many games coming up in the next few weeks, it’s certain he’ll get another chance to shine soon.
