Why Willian Was Chelsea's Most Surprising Player in 2015/16 Season

It used to be all about Eden Hazard at Chelsea, but that changed this year. Suddenly Willian stole the headlines.

The fact the Brazilian would eventually be voted as the Blues' Player of the Season is just as surprising as the former champions' fall from grace. He used to be another face among the crowd, yet come May, Willian deserved all the personal accolades he would earn.

Few would have predicted that turn of events.

In a team of underperformers, the former Shakhtar Donetsk man was exceptional. He was Chelsea's outstanding player, adding a few strings to his bow in the process.

In seasons gone by, it's been Willian's tireless work ethic that has earned him plaudits, although now we're talking about him as a set-piece specialist.

It's a side of his game that came from nowhere. Not before this season had Willian even hinted that he could provide a threat from dead-ball situations. Free-kicks were left to the usual suspects, with Cesc Fabregas and others often proving underwhelming.

Among other things, Chelsea's failure to properly threaten opponents from set pieces has been a major cause for frustration. Frank Lampard was no stranger to scoring free-kicks in the past, nor was Didier Drogba, who had a knack for scoring the odd special goal. Indeed, it's a craft he continues to perform with aplomb at Montreal Impact.

Since those two departed Chelsea, free-kicks haven't been as productive, and it was another element of the side where they lacked any real threat at times. Then this year Willian came alive.

The Brazilian wasn't just scoring free-kicks, he was firing home vital goals at crunch times of the season. When Chelsea's campaign seemed to hang on a knife's edge, Willian was there with a set piece to calm the nerves and give his team-mates a platform.

The best example of that came on Matchday 4 in the UEFA Champions League when, at 1-1, Dynamo Kiev were taking the upper hand in the group. The Ukrainians had already taken points from Chelsea in the home tie and another draw was doing the Blues no good. The clock was ticking down and they needed something.

Upped stepped Willian to exquisitely execute his shot from all of 25 yards to give Chelsea a 2-1 victory.

The celebrations inside Stamford Bridge that night outlined the relief everyone connected with Chelsea felt as the net bulged. The roof came off the place.

Knowing their rivals for qualification—FC Porto and Kiev—still had whipping boys Maccabi Tel Aviv to play, the victory was significant as it put Chelsea in with a shout after picking up just four points in three games.

Had it become five points in four, it would have been disastrous. Chelsea, without doubt, would have been dropping into the UEFA Europa League. Games were running out, which meant Porto and Kiev would have been too difficult to catch and the season would have plummeted further than it already had at that stage.

Willian's free-kick was a rare moment of catharsis in west London this term.

Rescuing Chelsea at big moments of the season became Willian's forte. So it's regrettable that for everything he was able to achieve, the 27-year-old didn't have the team-mates around him to make it all feel worthwhile. Eventually his hard work did nothing more than delay the inevitable oblivion that would befall the Blues.

We can talk about his set-piece expertise, but Willian showed another side of his game this season that we hadn't seen a lot of since that £30 million transfer from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2013—he became a leader.

Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images

Speaking with Willian, it can sometimes be difficult to understand what he is saying. Not because he lacks the necessary language skills, more because he is so quiet. He's a player who wants his football to talk for him.

In the leadership stakes, it was exactly that quality he gave Chelsea. He wasn't shouting at team-mates or opponents; he wasn't ranting and raving. Instead, Willian played football on the front foot and made things happen in the absence of Hazard.

Willian went from water-carrier this season to the star of the show. It was a remarkable shift of focus as he answered the call to bring about some bright moments in an otherwise forgettable year.

The past nine months have raised his profile at Stamford Bridge. Willian's challenge now is altogether different: He needs to remain there.

Garry Hayes is Bleacher Report's lead Chelsea correspondent. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @garryhayes