When Chelsea players walked out onto the pitch in August 2015 for their opening Premier League fixture, there was a palpable sense of excitement as the then defending champions looked to get off to a great start in their title defence. At the end of 90 minutes, there was a sense of trepidation as they had held on for a 2-2 draw against Swansea at Stamford Bridge. This was followed by a 3-0 battering by Manchester City and was very much a sign of things to come over the course of the season.
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This season, on the other hand, Chelsea have looked excellent three games in. They have shown great character, bouncing back against both West Ham and Watford, before cruising past Burnley on Saturday. The Blues look hungry and don’t know when they’re beaten. A far cry from their tepid showings this time last year. So, what exactly has changed in 12 months time?
Well, here we look at 5 reasons Chelsea have started this season like champions:
#1 The signing of N’Golo Kante
N’Golo Kante was the best defensive midfielder in the Premier League, and quite possibly, the world last season. When Chelsea splashed the cash on the Frenchman, they were getting exactly what their midfield needed.
Where they looked lethargic last season, they are full of energy this time around. Kante’s all-action style has been a shot in the arm for the Blues and the results are there for everyone to see. The pairing of Matic and Fabregas was extremely fragile and by adding some steel to the spine of the team, Antonio Conte has once again ensured that teams cannot overpower the Chelsea midfield.
#2 Eden Hazard’s return to form
Eden Hazard is a game changer. Say what you will, there is a huge difference to a team’s performance when a player of his caliber is playing at his best compared to when he experiences a loss of form. On the back of his PFA Player of the Year award for 2014-15, Hazard was expected to ascend to the next level and possibly challenge Cristiano Ronaldo and Leo Messi for the tag of Best Player in the World.
Things didn’t quite go according to plan, though, as the Belgian struggled with form and fitness. With Mourinho opting to bench the once undroppable winger, Hazard’s season was an unmitigated disaster, though he showed some glimpses of his talent after the arrival of Gus Hiddink.
Following a decent outing at Euro 2016, Eden Hazard is back with a bang. He has been in scintillating form as the focal point of Chelsea’s attack under Conte and has proceeded to rack up 2 goals and an assist in 3 games – his best ever start to a Premier League campaign. It would take a brave man to bet that this won’t be his best ever season.
#3 Antonio Conte’s influence
Antonio Conte is directly responsible for the two points I’ve mentioned above – the signing of Kante and the resurgence of Hazard. Having identified the need for a defensive midfielder, he made it very clear that Kante was his number one requirement, and Chelsea went out and got him before Real Madrid could express any concrete interest. He has also helped Hazard up his game by understanding exactly what the Belgian needs – tactical freedom to roam around the pitch looking for the ball and the guiding hand of a fatherly figure on his shoulder.
Conte has also brought with him a great tactical understanding of the game, making all the right substitutions to get his team the win. Against both West Ham and Watford, his changes were exactly what Chelsea needed to bring home the 3 points. He also displays passion and zeal that is paralleled only by the lunacy of Jurgen Klopp.
All these things ensure that Conte has all the tools required to succeed in the Premier League.
#4 A settled back-four
Chelsea’s biggest weakness last season was their defence. Branislav Ivanovic endured his worst year in a Chelsea shirt and the central defensive pairing of John Terry and Gary Cahill rarely kept a clean sheet. Cesar Azpilicueta and Kurt Zouma were the only two players who enjoyed any modicum of success, although Zouma’s injury would cut his season short.
This season, on the other hand, John Terry looks back to being the player who brought the title to Stamford Bridge in 2015. Cahill and Ivanovic have looked very impressive as well and with Azpilicueta linking up well with Hazard on the left, Chelsea look dominant defensively. Although they have conceded two goals in three games, it has to be noted that the goals were quite unstoppable and apart from that, the Blues have been largely untroubled.
#5 Diego Costa channeling his aggression in the right way
Diego Costa is a highly polarising figure. Chelsea fans love him and the rest of the footballing world? Not so much. The Brazilian-born forward always plays on the edge and that is both his greatest strength and biggest weakness. Last season, we saw a Costa who was prone to getting into confrontations and receiving bans from the FA.
This season, we’ve seen the other side of the coin. We’ve seen the Costa who chases everything down, riles up defenders, and displays lethal finishing. The Spanish international has led the line brilliantly for the Blues, scoring late winners in the first two games and bullying the Burnley defence in the third, setting up Willian for a cracking goal in the process.
