Chelsea are Premier League Champions, and for good reason. The West Londoners dominated much of the 2016-17 edition of the league with inspired leadership and determined performances on the pitch. The key to the success of Chelsea this past season can largely be amounted to the balance in their squad.
The squad which was inherited by new manager Antonio Conte who was immediately called into question when he decided to promote some relatively lesser rated players to bolster his chances of a debut Premier League title. Those choices proved vital throughout the season as the right mix of youth and experience led the club to a famous title win.
Also read: FIFA 18: 5 key changes EA Sports will introduce in FIFA 18 to improve the game
Some of these players were so important to the cause that their performances are bound to see them develop into hot commodities next season. With FIFA 18 just around the corner, we do expect that game developers would have taken note of this and made some well-deserved improvements to these players’ ratings.
So, here are the 5 Chelsea players who may receive an upgrade in FIFA 18:
#1 Marcos Alonso: Predicted rating, 84
Marcos Alonso took the English game by storm this past year with exceptional performances at left wing back for Chelsea. He combined a good burst of pace and inviting crosses to earn a regular spot on the team sheet at Stamford Bridge and didn’t disappoint the manager who had undying faith in him.
Deemed as an average player at best in England (largely due to his spell at Bolton), Alonso’s rating was a measly 77 and if this season was anything to go by, he’s bound to be one of the highest rated defenders in the Premier League in the coming months.
#2 Victor Moses: Predicted rating, 82
Moses had a difficult time in recent seasons, being loaned to various clubs and plagued with injuries and irregular performances for the clubs he played for. That’s why eyebrows were raised when Conte kept his faith in the Nigerian through most of the season, seeing something that most people had missed.
Soon, it was clear that the pace and awareness to pick the right pass was there all along and the manager had brought out the best in a player who many had given up hope on.
He adapted to the position of right wing back perfectly and kept Willian out of the team and for good reason. His poor rating of previous FIFA games will almost surely be eclipsed this time around, so expect Moses’ pace in particular to be the attribute to look out for.
#3 N’Golo Kante: Predicted rating, 86
Arguably one of the most instrumental players in Leicester City’s famous title-winning season, Kante shot to stardom with exceptional midfield performances that earned him a regular place in the France lineup and a subsequent big-money move to Chelsea last summer.
Kante didn’t disappoint at all, and his game-breaking and brilliant passing ability was there for all to see as Chelsea lifted the Premier League, earning the diminutive Frenchman his second winners’ medal in consecutive seasons.
It’s no coincidence either, as Kante proves time and time again that pressure doesn’t exist when it comes to on-field performances and it doesn’t look like he’s slowing down any time soon. FIFA players this year can surely see a rating increase for this talented midfield talisman.
#4 David Luiz: Predicted rating, 86
When Chelsea decided to re-sign Luiz, the media made it clear that this was nothing but a nostalgia act and the big Brazilian wasn’t going to hit the heights he had once looked so likely to achieve. Following his big money transfer to PSG, Luiz looked a different player, often playing in midfield rather than defence and wasn’t a disciplined defender.
So it came as a surprise when Conte not only deployed him at centre-half. But Luiz showed the maturity and calmness of a man who’d been born and brought up in the English game. It certainly paid dividends for the club as his solidity at the back paved the way for attack ahead of him.
Having won back the trust of the Stamford Bridge faithful, the 30-year old continues to go from strength to strength, so expect his rating in FIFA 18 to jump a few notches.
#5 Eden Hazard: Predicted rating, 91
Eden Hazard was once compared to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi by Jose Mourinho, in terms of the talent he possessed. While the statement irked football fans who hadn’t seen the same in the Belgian, even the most pessimistic fan would now have to admit that Hazard has certainly found a place among football’s elite.
His skill, technique and pace were unmatched at several points of the season and defences in the league often had no answer to the little magician’s tricks and flicks. His finishing was an added boost to the Blues and Conte’s high praise of the winger was definitely proof that he had done what the club asked from him.
Very much a confidence player, at his best Hazard can make the best of defenders look silly and by his sheer ability. Do expect the talismanic Belgian to cross the 90 mark in FIFA 18.
