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Chelsea started the season as one of the favorites to win the Premier League and they are yet to put a foot wrong. Since Thomas Tuchel took over in January, the team has played with great ambition, a stronger identity and a full-proof gameplan. Under the German coach, most players have got an opportunity to showcase their talent and what they can do for the club.
Tuchel hasn't experimented much at Chelsea and has shown faith in players who have responded well to his system and expectations. A great aspect of that has been valuing the ball when in possession and creating as much as possible in the final-third.
Chelsea have some high-quality dribblers in their ranks
Due to some capable dribblers at Chelsea, they have been able to build-up faster and transition quicker. Now there is no doubt that the Blues have had some of the best midfielders over the years and most of them have dribbled with grace and elegance.
The likes of Juan Mata and Eden Hazard were a nightmare for defenders in a Chelsea shirt. The current players at the club aren't quite as heavy dribblers at those two but they have entertained the crowd and put on a great show on many occasions. On that note, here are the five best dribblers at Chelsea right now:
#5 Callum Hudson-Odoi
Making the most of his opportunity in the absence of Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner, Callum Hudson-Odoi deserves praise for his recent performances. The 21-year old decided to stay at Chelsea in the summer for a first-team place. His game time has been limited under Thomas Tuchel but Hudson-Odoi rarely fails to exhibit his individual brilliance on the field when given a chance.
Last season, the winger made 23 appearances, but many of them were from the bench. However, his tendency to take the defenders one-on-one and his positive approach saw him complete 15 dribbles from his 28 attempted ones. He also contributed with two goals and three assists.
Tuchel has rotated the young Englishman well in this early phase of the Premier League. He has made five starts for Chelsea and scored one goal. He has been keen to show his footwork this season as well, having dribbled past opponents successfully on 10 out of 15 attempts.
#4 Ruben-Loftus Cheek
The arrival of Saul Niguez from Atletico Madrid was an exciting signing for Chelsea and it provided them with another option to choose from in midfield. However, what it also did was threaten one of their own. Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who is already an outcast of sorts, could now be looking at another season on the sidelines.
But as things have panned out, the Chelsea graduate, with whatever little time he has spent on the field, has proved he is a serious contender for a starting berth. The previous season, he was on loan at Fulham and was a mainstay in their midfield.
In his 30 appearances, he completed 47 dribbles and was one of their most exciting players. He has put his nimble-feet to good use this season as well, having completed 12 of his 19 attempted dribbles. Notably, of his six appearances, four have been from the bench.
Loftus-Cheek's game is not just about fancy movement. He has also added an end product to it, having provided two assists, albeit against weaker opposition like Southampton and Norwich. After pushing both Ross Barkley and Saul down the pecking order, the 26-year old has taken positive steps towards reviving his Chelsea career.
#3 Reece James
Thomas Tuchel's 3-4-3 system at Chelsea relies heavily on wingbacks and their workrate to go up and down the flanks. Since his arrival, Reece James has enjoyed the more attacking role that has been handed to him. In the form of his life, James is arguably having his best time in a Chelsea shirt.
He has registered more goal contributions than any other Chelsea player in the Premier League so far, with four goals and three assists. Even though the right-back is more of a conventional full-back, his ability with the ball is quite exceptional. Last season, James attempted 53 dribbles and completed 40 of them with a success rate of 75.5 per cent.
He has been more direct in the final-third so far and that has seen him attempt much less dribbles so far this season. However, neither Tuchel nor Gareth Southgate would mind that because they trust James due to his defensive abilities and he has not put a foot wrong there either.
#2 N'Golo Kante
He may be the most humble and generous guy otherwise, but once on the field, N'Golo Kante shows no generosity to his opponents. Whether it's about stealing the ball or keeping it in his hold, he is one of the most difficult presences to overcome on the pitch.
In what was a very successful season for both Chelsea and Kante last year, the Frenchman dribbled past his opponents 29 times. He did that in the most decisive manner with a success rate of 76.3 per cent. At 30, the age will soon start showing its signs and Chelsea are now looking for options to take over Kante's role.
His huge reserves of stamina and relentless work-rate are still very evident and this season he has started exactly where he left off. Of his 14 attempted dribbles in the seven appearances he has made, Kante has completed 10 of them. Even though he played just one half of the game against Spurs, he capped it with his first Chelsea goal this season.
#1 Mateo Kovacic
It has been a long time coming but Mateo Kovacic has finally shown his true colors as the complete midfielder in a Chelsea shirt. The 27-year old has now become a heartthrob in the Blues' midfield. He has helped Chelsea in quicker transitions from the back and has carried the ball to great effect this season.
The fancy nature of Kovacic's game has stayed perfect. Last season he was the Chelsea player with the highest dribble success rate, having completed 44 successful ones. The Croatian was always great with the ball at his feet and making run-ins from the deep but lacked the final product.
He has one goal and five assists from nine Premier League games which is proof of the cutting edge his game now has. This season as well, he has the highest success rate and has even completed the most dribbles of all his fellow Chelsea players with 14 of 18.
Kovacic has missed Chelsea's last two Premier League games against Newcastle and Burnley due to injury and Tuchel will hope he gets his star man back soon.
