Ranking and Grading Chelsea's Players on Champions League Performances so Far
Chelsea qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League this week with a convincing 5-0 win over Schalke.
The victory means Jose Mourinho's side have an unassailable lead at the top of Group G, with their final match coming against Sporting Lisbon in a fortnight.
Chelsea's performances haven't been as convincing as their dominance of the group suggests, however, with the humbling of Schalke being their best performance to date.
Cruising in the Premier League, Chelsea have dropped points against Schalke at home and also away to unfancied Maribor.
But win the group they have, and from here Mourinho will be hoping to build momentum heading into the knockout rounds.
Join us as we reflect on the Chelsea players who have featured in Europe and rank their performances to date.
Honourable Mentions
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Jose Mourinho has used a total of 22 players in the Champions League this season but with five of them making just one appearance—either starting or coming off the bench.
Those players are Cesar Azpilicueta, Mohamed Salah, John Obi Mikel, Nathan Ake and 17-year-old striker Dominic Solanke.
We've mentioned them here, but given their limited game time, it would be unfair to rank or grade their influence at this stage.
17. Loic Remy
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It's been an up-and-down first few months at Chelsea for Loic Remy.
He scored on his Chelsea debut but has had to contend with injuries.
When Diego Costa's hamstring troubles seemed to give him a shot at a run in the first team last month, injury struck once more after he strained his groin while scoring against Maribor.
That's restricted him to just two Champions League performances.
There's no doubt more is to come from the talented Frenchman.
Grade: D+
16. Kurt Zouma
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His middle name is Happy, but Kurt Zouma won't be feeling exactly that way about his Champions League performances for Chelsea.
He's made two starts and on each occasion has looked capable but then been equally exposed at times.
The Frenchman looks exactly what he is—a raw talent in need of experience and some fine tuning.
He's on his way up, so he can be encouraged by being given the nod but needs to do more.
Grade: C-
15. Petr Cech
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It's been a miserable season for Petr Cech, with cup competitions proving his only opportunity of first-team football, despite his substitute appearance against Arsenal in the Premier League.
He hasn't disappointed when he has been given the nod ahead of Thibaut Courtois either, but with just two games played and little action in those games, it's been difficult to make a big impression.
His grade and position here comes merely off the back of him not being overly tested.
Unless the shots are flying in, it's hard for Cech to get involved in matches, like any goalkeeper.
Grade: C-
14. Ramires
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Again, injuries have impacted Ramires' season and limited him to three appearances in the Champions League.
He has looked better in Europe than in the Premier League, it must be said, and his goal against Schalke this week suggested a player who is getting ready to battle for his place back in the starting line-up.
Ramires needs games to discover the form of old, though, and with so much competition for places, will they be forthcoming?
Sitting 14th in our list is about right for him at present.
Grade: C-
13. Andre Schurrle
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Winning the World Cup with Germany in the summer, Andre Schurrle carried that momentum into 2014/15 with some exciting performances early on for Chelsea.
It's all gone a bit pear-shaped of late, however, and being hauled off at half-time against Maribor on Matchday 4 didn't do much for his confidence.
Schurrle is a talented individual and has so much to offer this Chelsea team. Right now, he hasn't offered much, though.
Grade: C
12. Thibaut Courtois
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Like Petr Cech before him, Thibaut Courtois hasn't had much to do in the Champions League, with Chelsea conceding just twice this season.
He has looked a dominant force in the box, though, something Jose Mourinho will be satisfied with.
Courtois is a big presence who enjoys collecting crosses and seizing the initiative, taking the burden off his defenders to constantly clear their lines.
Now we're entering the knockout stages, he'll be tested a lot more.
Grade: C
11. Diego Costa
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So prolific in the Premier League, Diego Costa is yet to get off the mark in the Champions League for Chelsea.
Starting just two matches hasn't helped, of course, especially when Jose Mourinho endeavoured to protect his fitness early in the campaign by playing Didier Drogba.
The Spanish international hasn't been as ruthless in front of goal, either, missing a number of chances that he would normally put away.
By his own high standards, Costa has underachieved in the Champions League in 2014/15.
Grade: C
10. Didier Drogba
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Didier Dorgba loves the Champions League.
Indeed, there's something about him in a Chelsea shirt that makes him come alive in the competition.
He has scored twice already this season and has shown that, despite the doubts surrounding his return, it was the correct decision to him back to Stamford Bridge this summer.
Drogba has helped ease the burden on the Chelsea squad, and we can expect him to continue tormenting defences across the continent this term.
Grade: C+
9. Filipe Luis
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He's hardly getting a game in the Premier League, yet Filipe Luis has been the first-choice left-back in the Champions League thus far for Chelsea.
The Brazilian was benched this week against Schalke, but he has been impressive in the previous four matches.
Luis brings added depth to this Chelsea team, allowing Mourinho to rotate and preserve fitness across the back line.
He's proved an excellent deputy for Cesar Azpilicueta, even if he is disappointed to be playing back-up to the Spaniard.
Grade: C+
8. Gary Cahill
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In a strange way it says a lot about Gary Cahill's standing at Chelsea that he has only played three times in the Champions League group stage.
Jose Mourinho knows his importance and has been resting him at times ahead of big Premier League fixtures.
Normally he would feature much higher in a list of this nature but, given his limited appearances, will have to accept being eighth in our rankings.
Expect him to climb when we reach the business end of the campaign, when he'll feature more.
Grade: C+
7. Branislav Ivanovic
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Now we're entering the list of players who have either started or at least featured in every one of Chelsea's Champions League games.
Branislav Ivanovic is among the former, never missing out for Jose Mourinho's side.
There's a reason for that, too. He is energetic, strong and gives Chelsea so much down the right flank—in defence and attack.
Premier League or Champions League, it makes no difference for Ivanovic—he's always on song.
Had his spectacular effort against Schalke this week resulted in a goal, he may well have found himself higher on this list.
Grade: B-
6. John Terry
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Scorer of the opening goal in Tuesday's 5-0 rout of Schalke—incidentally Chelsea's fastest-ever Champions League goal—John Terry continues to lead the Blues with aplomb.
He knows time is running out on his career, and he's playing like a player who is desperate to end on a high.
How long does he have left at the top? On this season's evidence, much more than the one-year deal Chelsea gave him in the summer.
He's been impeccable in the Champions League, playing every game for his club.
Grade: B
5. Willian
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He's not the glamorous name you'd expect when discussing Brazilian midfielders, but Willian lets his football do the talking.
Willian has settled into life at Chelsea excellently and this season—in Europe at least—has looked quite the player.
He's currently keeping Andre Schurrle and Ramires out of the team, and after his midweek display against Schalke, that pair have a fight ahead of them to get the nod over Willian any time soon.
Scored against Schalke.
Grade: B-
4. Oscar
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Now we're seeing the player Chelsea fans adore.
Oscar vanished in the second half of last season, disappearing without trace. Now he's back on form and playing a big role for the Blues at home and on the continent.
His link-up play with Eden Hazard is excellent, and he offers so much defensively for Jose Mourinho's side, too.
The confidence has returned, and Oscar is proving a real menace once more.
Grade: B
3. Nemanja Matic
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Has there been a better January transfer in recent times?
Jose Mourinho brought Nemanja Matic back to Chelsea in the winter transfer window, and ever since he has transformed the defensive midfield area.
Nothing gets through with Matic around, and he is a major reason why the Blues, despite not playing their best, have conceded just twice in the Champions League this term.
He also got them out of jail with the equaliser against Maribor when Chelsea trailed in Slovenia, eventually drawing the game 1-1.
Grade: B+
2. Eden Hazard
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A magical player, Eden Hazard adds the spark to Chelsea's substance.
Few defences can handle him going forward, and now in his third season in west London since joining from Lille in 2012, he is looking capable of being the man to deliver major honours.
Believe it or not, but Jose Mourinho even has him working hard on his defensive responsibilities this season, a factor he demonstrated in a tireless performance against Schalke this week.
He isn't faultless, though, and his penalty miss cost Chelsea all three points against Maribor on Matchday 4.
Grade: B+
1. Cesc Fabregas
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The only A grade we're awarding to a Chelsea player in the Champions League this season.
Cesc Fabregas has been magnificent since he arrived from Barcelona.
No player across Europe has more assists in all competitions, and arguably, no player has made as big an impact, either.
Fabregas is the man who gets Chelsea going from the back. He keeps the ball moving, not allowing the opponent to rest.
Eden Hazard and Oscar may well do more damage further forward, but it's Fabregas loading the gun, and without him Chelsea are not the same team.
He's another player to have started every game for Chelsea in Group G.
Grade: A
Garry Hayes is Bleacher Report's lead Chelsea correspondent. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @garryhayes
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