
Chelsea
completed a dramatic turnaround from last season's poor performances to lift
the 2016/17 Premier League trophy on Sunday.
At an emotionally charged Stamford Bridge, Chelsea were handed their
well-deserved Premier League title, as John Terry bode farewell to the home
support.
It marked a significant improvement on a dire 2015/16 campaign, which saw
them finish 10th after a disastrous start to their title defence. Those
performances saw Jose Mourinho relieved of his duties at Christmas before
Guus Hiddink steadied the ship.
Under Antonio Conte this season, Chelsea set a Premier League record of 30
wins in a single season. With that in mind, WhoScored.com run through
Chelsea's most improved players using their stats-based rating system.
To qualify, players must have made 20 or more appearances across both league
campaigns...
Victor Moses - Rating Change +0.71
Victor Moses has been Chelsea's most improved player this season. While he
spent last season on loan at West Ham, Moses played a vital role for Chelsea
at right wing-back this term. Many had tipped the Nigerian to be shown the
Stamford Bridge exit on the back of a succession of loan spells, but he
became a key man under Conte following the switch to a back-three. Indeed,
the Blues lost only two of the 29 league games Moses started this season,
with his WhoScored.com rating increasing by 0.71, the most of all Premier
League players to make 20+ appearances over both seasons.
Eden Hazard - Rating Change +0.70
Quickly following suit is Eden Hazard, whose WhoScored.com rating (7.81) was
better than any other Premier League player this season. After ending last
season strongly after struggling with injury during the dying embers of
Mourinho's second reign at Stamford Bridge, Hazard continued to astound this
term, noted in the WhoScored.com rating improvement of 0.70, with 143
successful dribbles - the second best return this season - contributing to
that huge upturn in form.
Marcos Alonso - Rating Change +0.33
Like Moses, Marcos Alonso was another who benefited from Conte's change to a
three-man defence, with the Spaniard registering 30 league starts following
his deadline day arrival from Fiorentina. The 26-year-old gained a
respectable WhoScored.com rating of 7.07 with the Viola in his final full
campaign in Italy, yet that shot up to 7.40 with the Blues this season. Six
goals and a further three assists from left wing-back signified Alonso's
importance for Chelsea in the final third as he built up an impressive
rapport with Hazard down the Blues' left flank.
Diego Costa - Rating Change +0.32
After a barren run, there was a time when it seemed as though Diego Costa
would fail to break the 20-goal barrier, but a strike in the 3-0 win over
Middlesbrough ensured he met the target for the third time in his last four
league seasons. Following an indifferent second season at Stamford Bridge,
Costa proved his worth to the west London club with a WhoScored.com rating
improvement of 0.32.

Gary
Cahill - Rating Change +0.25
After an underwhelming campaign for the Blues last season, Gary Cahill's
rating improved by 0.25 this time out, with the England international
another beneficiary from Conte's swap to a back-three. Indeed, he averaged
far more passes per game this season (50) than last (33.6) as the
31-year-old returned to his consistent best to ensure Chelsea ended the
campaign with the third best defence having conceded just 33 goals over the
38 matches.
Cesar Azpilicueta - Rating Change +0.18
Chelsea's Mr Reliable, Cesar Azpilicueta became just the fourth outfielder
to play every minute in a title-winning campaign, with his exploits
recognised via a player-of-the-year nomination. The 27-year-old was vital in
Chelsea's three-man defence, while his versatility across the pitch saw him
start in no fewer than four positions over the season. Like Cahill,
Azpilicueta's passes per game increased on the previous campaign (48.6 to
64.6) as the Spaniard quietly impressed in another season in west London.
Pedro - Rating Change +0.10
While Hazard was granted the freedom to roam in the final third, Pedro's
defensive contribution proved vital down the right and allowed Moses to
break forward and stretch opponents. Following an indifferent debut campaign
in England, the Spain international proved his worth for the Blues with a
series of mature displays in attack, as his tackles per 90 minutes rose from
1.6 to 2.0.
Thibaut Courtois - Rating Change +0.08
Thibaut Courtois continues to excel between the Chelsea sticks and ended the
season with the most clean sheets (16) in the Premier League, that return a
vast increase on the five attained last term. What's more is that his save
success rate rose from 65.3 per cent to 70.1 per cent, that contributing to
a WhoScored.com rating increase of 0.08.
Nemanja Matic - Rating Change +0.04
Many had tipped Nemanja Matic for a move away from Chelsea over the summer
in the wake of N'Golo Kante's arrival from Leicester, yet the Serb
registered 30 starts under Conte, with his WhoScored.com rating improving
marginally by 0.04. His seven assists was a significant improvement on two
the previous campaigns, while passes per game increased from 48.7 to 53.3 as
Matic established himself as a key man for the Blues once more.
David Luiz - Rating Change 0.00
A deadline day arrival like Alonso, David Luiz's return to Stamford Bridge
was treated with derision as Chelsea failed to land a number of top targets
before plumping for the Brazilian. However, the critics were quickly
silenced as Luiz slotted seamlessly into the back three under Conte. His
rating for Chelsea this season was the same as with PSG last term (7.16) as
the 30-year-old displayed a remarkable level of consistency not shown in his
first stint in the capital.
Cesc Fabregas - Rating Change -0.10
Despite a lack of game time, Cesc Fabregas still managed to register 12
assists this season, a return that was in fact better than last season. That
being said, the midfielder made just 13 starts in Conte's debut campaign,
with the dip in first-team action seeing his WhoScored.com rating drop by
-0.10. Indeed, tackles per game dropped from 2.8 to 1, as did passes per
game (76.5 to 45.8).
Willian - Rating Change -0.31
Like Fabregas, Willian was a victim of a lack of game time as his
WhoScored.com rating dropped by 0.31. The Brazilian lost his starting spot
to Pedro early in the season and was never able to win it back. That being
said, the attacker was a key man for the Blues as his eight goals and two
assists suggests.
N'Golo Kante - Rating Change -0.38
Despite his influence in the middle of the park for Chelsea, N'Golo Kante's
WhoScored.com rating fell by 0.38 from last season, though that in part says
more about his impact in the Leicester midfield last term. The France
international was a one-man wrecking ball for the Foxes, with their
counter-attacking game meaning his influence was vital. In a team that
enjoyed a larger share of possession, Kante still excelled, as he averaged
3.6 tackles and 2.4 interceptions per game, though both of those dropped
from 4.8 tackles and 2.9 interceptions per league match last season.
Michy Batshuayi - Rating Change -0.59
The man who secured the title for Chelsea with his late goal against West
Brom mustered 20 appearances in his debut season, yet 19 of those were as a
substitute . He returned five goals and one assist, yet compared to his
final season for Marseille, where he bagged 17 goals and registered five
assists, his WhoScored.com rating fell by 0.59. Nonetheless, having netted
the title-winning goal at The Hawthorns, Blues fans are unlikely to be too
downbeat at the sheer drop in rating.