A late goal by Michy Batshuayi against West Bromwich Albion on Friday night led Chelsea to clinch the title once again after a gap of one year. The London side achieved which previous title holders Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United couldn’t; gaining back the winning status after facing a slump and falling out of form.
And it happened on the back of some dynamic managerial skills by Antonio Conte and few brilliant summer signings. Here are 3 players who played a huge role in it-
N’Golo Kante- The little Frenchman is living a dream at the moment and he is working every drop of sweat for it. Last year with Leicester City and this year with Chelsea, Kante seems the most significant difference between both the sides now.
In a league, where muscular physique and towering frames always get the first go, this 1.69cm player has won the player of the season. Who would have thought that just unbelievable work rate can compensate, or rather make people forget, the two most sought after eligibilities for Premier League? Kante has been magical in Chelsea’s midfield, and alongside the likes of Hazard, Pedro and Matic, he has levelled up.
Though he doesn’t have a good amount of goals or assists, his ability to be at the right place at the right time makes him invaluable. Antonio Conte’s summer transfer plans are bound to build around him.
Eden Hazard- It’s amazing what the right inspiration can do to a player. The Belgian was almost a goner last season when the then Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho, claimed that the Blues had overperformed the previous season. But thanks to Roman Abramovich, the Russian decided to kick the special one and stick with Hazard.
And it paid off well. Despite a bad start to the season, where Hazard’s free flowing movements were a rare occurrence, he soon gained pace. And against Arsenal, his solo goal could be counted as a strong nominee for the goal of the season. Alongside Pedro, Hazard came back to his former self, scoring 15 goals and assisting five in the process.
David Luiz- Almost everyone had questioned Chelsea’s decision and some even laughed when Conte brought back David Luiz for a whopping £34 million from Paris Saint-Germain. And how it paid off. The Brazilian came directly into Chelsea’s central defence, retiring John Terry and Branislav Ivanovic from the London club.
It was as if he picked up from exact the same spot where he had left earlier. His aggressive approach and steady defending have been prime factors in Chelsea’s title winning season.
