Ranking the Players Who Surprised Us Most in Chelsea's Title-Winning Season
Chelsea are Premier League champions.
If you made that prediction in August this season, few would have backed you. After collapsing spectacularly in 2015/16—when the Blues would finish 10th in the table despite being reigning champions—nobody expected such a rapid rise back to the top.
The comeback trail was too long to negotiate in a single campaign.
But under Antonio Conte's guidance, Chelsea have done it. They are England's finest once more, defying the early season predictions when we largely expected the likes of Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp to dominate with Manchester City and Liverpool, respectively.
As unexpected as Chelsea's title success has been, there have been some equally unexpected heroes along the way. Eden Hazard and Diego Costa have returned to their devastating best this season, although others have defied their reputations to be shining lights at Stamford Bridge.
So who has shocked us the most? Join Bleacher Report as we rank the Chelsea players who threw the form book out of the window to win the Premier League.
Honorable Mentions
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Before we begin, some housekeeping.
We haven't featured players on this list who have made less than five appearances in the Premier League for Chelsea this season. That means Asmir Begovic, despite being a regular substitute, is missing, as are Ola Aina, Nathan Ake and Eduardo.
Branislav Ivanovic and Oscar both departed Stamford Bridge in January. As they're no longer Chelsea players, neither is featured here.
One last thing: we're not judging players solely on their performances this season. That's another rankings list for another time.
Our rankings are based on a number of factors, with shock value being the foremost of them. So who surprised us most with their form and the role they played in Chelsea's title-winning season?
Remember, it's not always the best players who top the list!
18. Michy Batshuayi
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Michy Batshuayi, scorer of the goal that clinched the Premier League title at West Bromwich Albion. No one saw that coming.
But that was only his second league goal of the season, and that's not enough for a £32 million investment.
He was supposed to do a whole lot more than make 18 substitute appearances without starting a single game.
The Belgian has only completed 90 minutes in the cups, with Diego Costa left as Chelsea's sole striker.
If that was going to be the case this season, Conte would have been better off keeping his money in his pocket and blooding one of the many young strikers Chelsea have coming through.
A disappointment, no doubt, but he did score the title-clinching goal, and that can hopefully spur him on next season.
17. Kurt Zouma
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When Kurt Zouma was spotted training with the Chelsea first-team during pre-season, the hope was that he would be stepping up his recovery from a serious knee injury to form a big part of Conte's debut campaign in charge at Stamford Bridge.
That didn't materialise. Zouma had to wait until January for his first start in any competition, playing against Peterborough United in the FA Cup as he continued his rehabilitation.
Zouma's only made seven appearances in the Premier League, with two of those being starts against Manchester City and Manchester United.
His style doesn't quite suit the 3-4-3, where the backline has to be better in possession and more assured.
When Zouma was injured in February 2016, he was becoming a Chelsea regular and a big player for the future. Now his position isn't quite so clear.
16. Ruben Loftus-Cheek
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Still we're waiting for Ruben Loftus-Cheek to break free from the shackles of youth and really prove himself to be capable of establishing himself at Stamford Bridge.
He's still only 21 years old, so time remains on his side, but Loftus-Cheek has to do more to show he belongs in west London.
The midfielder looks edgy on the ball when he comes off the bench, seeming to prefer risk-free options rather than express himself. Two seasons ago, that was understandable, but now? He has to do so much more.
This season has been a frustrating one. Loftus-Cheek has appeared just six times off the bench.
15. John Terry
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The king is dead, long live the king!
The curtain had to come down on John Terry's glorious Chelsea career at some point, and with the announcement that he will depart Stamford Bridge this summer, that time has now come.
Terry has been an incredible leader for the Blues. Since he took the captain's armband permanently in 2004, he has gone on to become the club's most successful skipper. His career has been defined by success at a time when Chelsea helped reshape the landscape of the English game.
This season has proved to be one too many for him, though. He's started just four Premier League games, appearing from the bench on a further three occasions. As a figurehead, he has remained important, but as a player, he's had little influence.
Time has caught up with the master.
14. Nathaniel Chalobah
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Yet to start a Premier League game for Chelsea, Nathaniel Chalobah will still look back on 2016/17 with a degree of fondness.
This term has seen him make his Blues debut and also rack up nine substitute appearances for Conte's side. For a player who had spent the past six seasons on loan with six different clubs, to be included the way he has been is significant.
For a long while the 22-year-old had been tipped to break through, and now he is hinting at doing it. It may well be baby steps for now, but Chalobah will be happy with that.
13. Nemanja Matic
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When N'Golo Kante has been achieving all he has, Nemanja Matic has been lurking in the background at Stamford Bridge, perhaps wondering where it's all gone wrong.
It's clear that without Kante's presence in midfield, the bite and balance isn't quite there with Matic. That's a shame, as he proved in 2014/15 that he has the ability to be just as effective as Kante has been.
His confidence was cursed when Chelsea collapsed last season, and Matic still hasn't fully recovered, it seems. We've witnessed some excellent performances from the Serbian midfielder, but he still isn't up there with those around him.
Conte needs to reinforce his squad this summer, and Matic could well be a casualty of those changes.
12. Willian
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Last year's Player of the Season, Willian hasn't had it all his own way this term. The hope was that he would build on a breakthrough campaign to become one of the leading players in the Chelsea dressing room. That hasn't materialised.
Instead, the Brazilian has had to settle for a back-up role, warming the bench alongside Cesc Fabregas. It's been Pedro and Hazard who have starred in the 3-4-3 that has been championed by Conte—the system that has crowned Chelsea as England's finest again.
Willian will be disappointed with that. Despite the fine cameos he has put in, there was a hint in 2015/16 that his role was becoming more important in west London. He hasn't adapted as effectively as others, proving a victim of change that hasn't completely suited his attributes.
He remains a big part of Chelsea's success, but just not in the way we were expecting.
11. Thibaut Courtois
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When Thibaut Courtois was struggling last season, Begovic must have been counting his lucky stars. Far from being stuck on the bench in 2015/16, the former Stoke City stopper was handed out enough game time to justify his move to Stamford Bridge.
Courtois' future was being questioned, and Begovic would have been hoping he could step into the breach in a full-time capacity.
Well, this season, Courtois has killed those dreams. He's squashed Begovic's hopes with a return to form and fitness to prove why Chelsea were right in allowing Petr Cech to leave when he did.
The Belgian is the future of the Blues, and having missed just one Premier League game all season, he has shown that he's essential to what the club is trying to achieve.
He's enjoyed an excellent season.
10. Cesc Fabregas
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He's started just 11 Premier League matches this term, but Fabregas can already count 10 assists to his name. That's incredible, especially for a player who's had to deal with rumours all season long about his future at Chelsea.
From struggling in the early days of Conte's reign, the Spaniard is being used more frequently in the latter stages of 2016/17, and to good effect. He understands what his manager requires of him and Fabregas has risen to the challenge.
Chelsea have been the winners in that. Fabregas hasn't whined and caused problems, instead knuckling down and getting on with the job at hand. His renaissance since the turn of the year has epitomised Chelsea's season: when we thought he was down and out, he came back to dictate things his own way.
9. Diego Costa
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Chelsea's leading goalscorer, Costa has been pivotal to the Blues' rise back to the top of English football.
Chelsea have now won two titles in three seasons, with the goals of Costa delivering them. He's quite the talent, and should he depart Stamford Bridge for China (or anywhere else for that matter) this summer, he will be severely missed.
There are so few players like him in world football. Costa isn't just a goal threat, he occupies defenders in ways that so many other frontmen can't. He's a real nuisance, and that physicality he brings gives Chelsea an edge, complementing the other players around him.
His goals tally this term—20 and counting in the Premier League—is par for the course for any leading striker. Where he's raised eyebrows most, however, is his discipline. Costa's not only winning Chelsea football matches, but also fans for himself.
He remains very much a bad boy, but his wicked ways of old are becoming fewer.
8. Eden Hazard
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We can hear the heckles already; Hazard simply has to be higher in this list.
Here's the thing with where the Belgian is concerned; this season he has only done what we expected he would do.
That's actually high praise in itself, as Hazard has been excellent in Chelsea blue. He's recorded his best goals return in a single league season—currently at 15—and he's been there for the big moments, when the best players have to be.
We need only cast our minds back to his beautifully executed solo effort against Arsenal in February, when Francis Coquelin was floored by Hazard's brilliance as he dazzled the Gunners defence to eventually fire beyond Cech.
That was Hazard at his finest, and any team that wins trophies needs the spark he brings. He's delivered on that, and because he has, we haven't been exactly surprised by it all.
Had he not disappointed so much last season, we would have probably ranked him lower.
7. Cesar Azpilicueta
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So far as Chelsea players go, there are few more consistent than Cesar Azpilicueta. You know exactly what you get with the Spaniard. Every week he is a minimum 7/10 player, conducting himself quietly, but effectively at the back.
He's played as a right-back and a left-back at Stamford Bridge. And now Conte has him on the right side of a back three that has been one of the Premier League's fiercest defences in 2016/17.
Were we judging on performances alone, Azpilicueta would rank higher on this list. For the past few seasons, he has been one of Chelsea's best players, and this year has reinforced the fact.
It's because of that his form hasn't been unexpected. Still, watching him slot in seamlessly into Conte's new system has still been impressive, making him a deserving name in the top 10 of surprise packages at Stamford Bridge.
6. David Luiz
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From PlayStation Player to the Prince Charming of the Premier League; David Luiz has ripped up the rulebook and completely changed perceptions of him this season.
Luiz's return to Chelsea on transfer deadline day wasn't greeted with the enthusiasm it should have been. Blues fans were happy to see a bona fide legend back at the club, but Luiz's reputation as such has always been for his character and not necessarily his ability as a player.
That's all changed now. The Brazilian's unconventional approach to life is still celebrated, yet he is being taken seriously as a footballer. The joke's no longer on him.
Playing as the libero in Conte's back three, Luiz has been a surprisingly reassuring presence. He doesn't stop talking to those around him, organising and instructing. He looks the player Chelsea thought they were signing in 2011 when he initially arrived from Benfica.
He's replaced Terry at the heart of defence. Who saw that coming?
5. Marcos Alonso
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When Marcos Alonso was signed from Fiorentina on transfer deadline day—shortly after the news broke of Luiz's Stamford Bridge return—the obituaries for Chelsea's season were already being written.
In need of a left-back, the Blues had been spurned wherever they went in the summer, and it seemed they had signed Alonso purely out of necessity. If this was the calibre of player Chelsea were signing, then they were doomed.
Alonso wasn't given a chance. And how we were all wrong.
You're probably getting bored of reading that statement. Whether it was by accident or design isn't important; what is, however, is that Chelsea have benefited largely from his presence on the left side of a four-man midfield.
Without him, things just haven't been the same. When he was a late omission from the lineup against Manchester United last month, Chelsea were horribly beaten and lacked any real threat. His absence was a big part of the team's failure at Old Trafford.
Not only has Alonso provided shape and discipline in the starting XI, he has brought goals. He's a big threat on the left side, scoring six times in his debut campaign in west London.
For a player who was written off, it's not bad at all.
4. Victor Moses
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For Victor Moses, read Alonso. Conte's 3-4-3 being so effective relies on players like that pair, and Moses just edges his team-mate into fourth place in our rankings because of his history with Chelsea.
Moses has been a Blues player for five seasons, yet it's only now that he's truly broken through. Until the start of the current campaign, he was a forgotten man. Moses was well and truly a flag bearer for Chelsea's ever-increasing loan army, spending three years away from Stamford Bridge with Liverpool, Stoke City and West Ham United.
None of those moves did much for his career, and we were expecting him to either leave this season or endure another loan move.
Conte had other ideas, and the rest is history. With the face of football beginning to change, with wing-backs now in fashion, Moses has planted himself at the forefront of the English game as one of the Premier League's top players in his position.
From nowhere, he's become essential to Chelsea. And if you don't believe us, just watch the reruns of the games when he hasn't featured this season. Like with Alonso, the Blues have lacked the same shape and penetration when Moses has been absent.
It's remarkable just how good he has been.
3. N'Golo Kante
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After his debut season in English football with Leicester City, when N'Golo Kante helped the Foxes to one of the unlikeliest title wins in living memory, we knew he was going to be a good acquisition for Conte's side. We just didn't think Kante would be this good.
Named the PFA Player of the Year and FWA Footballer of the Year, the French ace has been worthy of every accolade that's been bestowed upon him. His arrival at Chelsea has meant the Blues have overcome many of the problems they faced in 2015/16, notably a weak underbelly in midfield that opponents had capitalised on.
He's covered every blade of grass when he has played, racking up the interceptions and tackles along the way to be a dominant figure.
Of course, we're not judging players solely on their performances in these rankings; we're considering the complete package and assessing them on how they surprised us. Kante doesn't top the list for that reason, although he comes close as his £30 million price tag severely undersold just how valuable he is to any team.
2. Pedro
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This time last year we weren't sure what the future held for Pedro. His signing, late in the summer 2015 transfer window, was supposed to help kickstart Chelsea's season after their early struggles.
That didn't happen. Instead, Pedro was another high-profile reminder of the collective failure at Stamford Bridge. It meant his position in west London was questioned, and we asked whether he had the mettle to cope with English football, despite all his success with Barcelona.
Fast forward to the present, and Pedro has proved his critics wrong. We're all eating humble pie while the Spaniard feasts on the glory of another league title.
He's been influential in Chelsea's title pursuit, doing things few ever expected he would this year. He's scored vital goals at big moments, not least his scorcher against Everton in the recent 3-0 victory at Goodison Park that all but sealed the Premier League crown.
While that finish was named April's Goal of the Month, Pedro has been one of Chelsea's most underrated players this season.
1. Gary Cahill
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There are Chelsea players who have had better seasons than Gary Cahill, and there are those on this list who have surprised us in different ways.
Nobody else has captained this Chelsea side in the absence of Terry like he has, though. Since early October, when Chelsea travelled to Hull City and we saw a different sort of lineup from Conte, Cahill has been the leader of this team.
We didn't expect it, and as we've said so much throughout the entire campaign in other instances, Cahill probably never did, too.
Terry has been such a powerful figurehead for the Blues in the 13 years that he has been club captain. With his departure coming this summer, Cahill has stepped up at the right moment. He leads the team with different qualities, but they are the qualities that had played a part in Chelsea bulldozing their way to the title.
Cahill has had his moments of despair—such as his own goal versus Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium—yet he continually shows the character to overcome them. He doesn't hide, he faces the media at tough moments and he leads with the way he conducts himself.
His emergence as Chelsea captain this season has been a true reflection of all that, and it's why he ranks No. 1 on this list.
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