Chelsea finished first in the Premier League in 2016-17, but what grade do they get for their overall performance?
Chelsea won their second Premier League title in three years during Antonio Conte’s first year with the club. The Blues struggled early, suffering back-to-back losses against Liverpool and rivals Arsenal in September. From there, manager Conte switched to three at the back, a move that was vital to Chelsea’s title run — they went on 13-match winning run following the switch to a back three, a stretch that ultimately decided the title.
The summer additions of Marcos Alonso, David Luiz and N’Golo Kante, although scrutinized at the time (with the exception of Kante), helped Chelsea eventually lift the trophy as all three found a spot in the starting XI.
In the end, it was an unlikely hero who scored the title-clinching goal that brought the Premier League trophy back to Stamford Bridge. Michy Batshuayi, who had zero Premier League starts, scored an 83rd-minute goal to give Chelsea a 1-0 victory over West Brom and the title with two games to spare.
Chelsea players took home a lot of individual hardware in addition to the league tropy. Kante took home the PFA and FWA Player of the Year awards, while Thibaut Courtois won the golden glove for most clean sheets. The Blues earned a league-record 30th win over Sunderland on Championship Sunday. The win saw Chelsea finish with 93 points, second in Premier League history behind the 2004-05 Blues (95 points).
The manager
Antonio Conte, in his first year with the club, was simply magnificent. Conte’s switch to the 3-4-3 a masterstroke. During a rough start, Conte had to find a way to elevate his squad’s performance. A back three was first used in the second half at the Emirates, where Chelsea found themselves down 3-0. The score held and the formation stayed. The Conte’s Blues never looked back.
Other clubs struggled to counter Chelsea’s style of play under the 3-4-3. “The Don” became one of the league’s most beloved managers in his first year due to his hyperactive touchline antics. Soon enough, chants of “Antonio! Antonio!” rang out at Chelsea matches. Whether he was swinging from the dugout or jumping into the arms of fans, one thing was for sure: Conte was winning.
Despite intense pressure and scrutiny, Conte was able to keep his players in line and focused. Conte was tasked with facing rumors of Diego Costa’s exit and the Spaniard’s egotistic personality. However, Conte succeeded with flying colors. Above all, Conte’s passion trickled downward and was apparent on the field in the performances of his players. Conte’s ability to bring out every player’s best qualities was the key to the Blues’ title run in 2016-17.
Next: Ranking every Premier League season
The players
Using the same core squad who lifted the trophy in 2014-15, Conte made Chelsea champions of England once again. Despite the same core, large scale player changes were the opportunity cost to Chelsea’s title. Branislav Ivanovic, Oscar and John Obi Mikel saw their coveted careers at Stamford Bridge come to an end. Long-time captain John Terry looked on from the dugout most of the season as Gary Cahill began his reign as Chelsea captain. Cesc Fabregas and Willian’s playing time significantly decreased as the midfielders were beat out by the likes of Pedro and Nemanja Matic.
During the summer transfer window, Chelsea brought in four players, all of whom played a significant role in Chelsea’s season. David Luiz, N’Golo Kante, Michy Batshuayi and Marcos Alonso were all brought to the Bridge, but didn’t come without any scrutiny. In addition, Victor Moses returned from loan at West Ham. Conte eventually revived the careers of David Luiz, Marcos Alonso and Victor Moses. Ultimately, the 3-4-3 formation was a blessing to Alonso and Moses; Luiz just needed a bit of restored confidence. The two full-backs took on roles as wing-backs in Conte’s new formation and became regular starters in the Chelsea starting XI. Luiz secured his place as the center piece of Chelsea’s back three, alongside Cesar Azpilicueta and Gary Cahill.
In the midfield, Kante proved to be the summer’s best signing and contested Eden Hazard as Chelsea’s best player. Hazard, who had a horrendous 2015-16 season, returned to form under Conte. In addition, Hazard netted 15 goals and finished on the player of the year shortlist. Diego Costa was phenomenal for the Blues as well, scoring or assisting on over 25 goals. However, scrutiny continues to surround Costa on his future with the club.
Despite making very few appearances, Batshuayi’s performance is one that will be remembered for years to come. Batshuayi, a substitute for all but one game, scored the title-clinching goal and secured a place in Chelsea history.