Chelsea: Ranking Best and Worst Blues Players for April
After a season of endeavour, April proved to be the decisive month for Jose Mourinho and his Chelsea players in their pursuit of glory.
With four wins and one draw, the Blues are now just two points away from lifting the Premier League trophy for the first time since 2010.
Speaking after the 3-1 victory against Leicester City in midweek, Mourinho was full of praise for how his players have conducted themselves in the past few weeks:
"The boys in the dressing room are happy.
"[...] This April month, I know that it is the month where everybody was waiting for Chelsea to slip, for Chelsea to lose points and lose one game, to lose and draw, to take [the title] to the last couple of matches.
"But it was exactly in this month, a month with problems, a month without Diego [Costa], without [Loic] Remy, with Didier [Drogba] playing striker, with Oscar playing striker and no other solutions, just this small group of players we have—it was exactly the month where we were phenomenal.
"We were tactically phenomenal, team spirit, the team ethic, the way we defended, the way we were clinical in our goals, the stability we show in every game. We won everything other than the draw with Arsenal, so I'm so, so happy."
It's difficult to argue with Mourinho, given the title is now a foregone conclusion. That said, who was Chelsea's best player in April?
Join us as we count down to our number one.
Honourable Mentions
1 of 14
It may well have been a positive month for Chelsea, but there will still be a few frustrated faces in the Stamford Bridge dressing room.
Filipe Luis didn't play one minute in the whole of April, while John Obi Mikel was used as an 89th-minute substitute against Manchester United and Leicester City.
Juan Cuadrado was also used sparingly from the bench, with his game time totaling no more than 45 minutes.
Loic Remy played just 60 minutes against Stoke City on April 4, scoring the winner in a 2-1 victory, but he spent the rest of the month on the sidelines with a calf injury.
Diego Costa's hamstring injury meant he featured for just 12 minutes.
All five deserve a mention, but given their limited appearances, it would be unfair to rank them against players who featured more regularly.
13. Ramires
2 of 14
Ramires featured in all but one of Chelsea's April fixtures—he missed the 2-1 win over Stoke City—but despite the regular game time, he failed to shine in the same way as many of his team-mates.
The Brazilian scored the third goal in Chelsea's midweek win over Leicester City, yet he was guilty of some poor finishing against Arsenal three days earlier.
Had he scored when he had a one-on-one with David Ospina, Chelsea would be champions now.
Given the talent elsewhere in this Chelsea squad, his time at Stamford Bridge will surely come to an end in the summer.
12. Oscar
3 of 14
Like Ramires, Oscar is a player who can frustrate. A lot.
We know how good he is, but since Christmas, his form has taken another almighty tumble.
There was a flash of his brilliance against Manchester United, with his cute backheel assisting Eden Hazard's winning goal, but outside of that, Oscar didn't produce much in April.
He needs to address the alarming post-Christmas dip—that's three consecutive seasons it's happened now—otherwise he'll find himself on his way out of Stamford Bridge.
11. Petr Cech
4 of 14
Petr Cech featured just once in April, playing the full 90 minutes against Leicester City.
Chelsea won that game 3-1, but they had Cech to thank for keeping the Foxes at bay in the first half, for he made some crucial saves.
That game proved just how talented he is, but with Thibaut Courtois the undisputed No. 1 at Chelsea these days, the Leicester game was also a reminder that Cech will probably be leaving Stamford Bridge in the summer.
He's too good to warm the bench.
10. Thibaut Courtois
5 of 14
Save for a few scares at times—think Queens Park Rangers away when the game was goalless—Thibaut Courtois wasn't called into action too often in April.
Chelsea were solid defensively and teams found it difficult to get through them.
Indeed, the Blues only conceded two goals in the entire month.
It's for that reason Courtois ranks relatively low here. He made an impression when needed, but overall, he had a quiet month because of the performance of his team-mates.
9. Kurt Zouma
6 of 14
Kurt Zouma started just one game in April, featuring from the bench late on in the games against QPR, Arsenal and Leicester City.
It was that start against Manchester United that really stood out, though.
Drafted in to deal with the threat of Marouane Fellaini, the young defender impressed once again. He was immaculate, keeping Fellaini quiet for the whole game.
In central defence or out of position in defensive midfield, it doesn't seem to matter for Zouma. Nothing fazes him and he is developing into a formidable player for Chelsea.
The only way is up for this boy.
8. Didier Drogba
7 of 14
Didier Drogba is 37 years old, so it's unfair to expect him to dominate defences in the way he did in his pomp.
His age dictates he isn't as quick as he once was. Nor is he as strong. Age hasn't taken away his heart, however, and he played with every ounce of it in April.
That's all can be asked of any player.
With Diego Costa and Loic Remy injured, Drogba featured in all five of Chelsea's games.
He may not have been prolific, but he did what was required of him. Drogba hustled defenders, battling for everything to create a platform for the likes of Eden Hazard to cause damage.
Drogba scored just one goal in April, yet it was a vital one, coming straight after half-time to pull Chelsea level with Leicester City.
From there, Chelsea went on to win the game.
7. Willian
8 of 14
There was a theory that the signing of Juan Cuadrado was a challenge for Willian to up his game at Chelsea.
If that's the case, it's a test the Brazilian has overcome.
Willian has been excellent in the second half of the campaign, making considerable contributions in both attack and defence.
He works hard for the team and, using his pace on the flanks, is a good outlet too.
Willian could score more goals, sure, but then his contribution toward helping prevent them at the other end is a big reason why he is so highly regarded by Jose Mourinho.
His performance against Leicester City in midweek was probably his best in April.
6. Cesc Fabregas
9 of 14
We've heard plenty about how Cesc Fabregas hasn't been picking up the assists he did earlier on in the campaign.
That's not for a lack of form or want of trying. It has more to do with how Chelsea have been set up.
Jose Mourinho's side had the title all but won by the end of January, and ever since, their task has been to close it out.
They haven't been as attacking, which has hindered the direct impact of Fabregas.
Don't let the stats fool you, though. The Spaniard is just as influential and vital to this Chelsea team—he's just playing a different role.
April was a good month for Fabregas, and he topped it off with the winner against QPR to give Chelsea a valuable three points.
5. Branislav Ivanovic
10 of 14
Given the defensive superiority of Chelsea in April, it will come as no surprise to see our top five dominated with defensive players.
Branislav Ivanovic gets us started after another solid month in Chelsea colours.
He is a big part of this team, and Jose Mourinho knows Chelsea need him on the right side of defence for much more than what he offers in attack.
Originally a centre-back, he knows how to slot inside with Gary Cahill and John Terry, helping make the Chelsea defence formidable.
The only mark against his name was getting caught out of position against Leicester City in midweek. That mistake allowed the Foxes to hit Chelsea on the counter-attack that led to Marc Albrighton's goal.
4. Nemanja Matic
11 of 14
Nemanja Matic is by far the most accomplished defensive midfielder in the Premier League, and he proved that once again in April with some commanding displays.
He provides the perfect shield to Chelsea back line, protecting John Terry and Gary Cahill from any threats.
Matic reads the game well, and as well as breaking up play, he has better vision than he is given credit for.
The Serbian helps Chelsea to attack from deep, and alongside Cesc Fabregas, he is one half of a partnership that has been a big part of Chelsea's charge to the title.
3. Gary Cahill
12 of 14
He earned the assist for John Terry's goal against Leicester City in midweek, but April was about so much more for Gary Cahill.
After that much-publicised dip in form over Christmas, he has returned to his best to give Chelsea a solid foundation at the back.
He complements John Terry, offering a more subtle approach. He's comfortable in possession and is rarely caught out of position.
Cahill was excellent against Manchester United, following it up a week later with another fine performance and clean sheet against Arsenal.
2. Cesar Azpilicueta
13 of 14
The quiet man of this Chelsea team, Cesar Azpilicueta doesn't always get the praise he deserves.
And after an exceptional April, the Spaniard deserves the accolades.
Azpilicueta was impeccable in the big moments for Chelsea, shining against Manchester United and Arsenal.
He ended Ashley Cole's Chelsea career, and despite Filipe Luis' arrival last summer, he remains the first-choice left-back at Chelsea.
All this from a player who is playing out of position.
1. John Terry and Eden Hazard
14 of 14
How do you split John Terry and Eden Hazard?
You don't.
These two players are the bedrock of Jose Mourinho's team: Terry is the key figure at the back, and Hazard makes things happen further forward.
Both were exceptional in April, leading the way as Chelsea all but sealed the Premier League title.
Chelsea kept three clean sheets thanks to Terry's form and influence, while Hazard was directly involved in four of the seven goals Chelsea scored.
Without this pair, it's difficult to predict where Chelsea would have finished this season. One thing that's certain is the title wouldn't have been wrapped up so early.
Garry Hayes is Bleacher Report's lead Chelsea correspondent. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @garryhayes
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
