'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAwf/2gAIAQEAAAAAjTf/xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAF/9oACAECEAAAAEf/xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD/9oACAEDEAAAAB//xAAjEAACAQIEBwAAAAAAAAAAAAACAwEABAUGE0ISITFScXTT/9oACAEBAAE/ABTZIIVtK60QAylqlBDCnaPMpjt8cU9a18qbr3GYL0VfWv/EABkRAAIDAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECABJRwf/aAAgBAgEBPwCgZVOjpn//xAAWEQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABABL/2gAIAQMBAT8AXKl//9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Chelsea have enjoyed a mixed couple of weeks as they battered Southampton 6-0 following successive defeats against Real Madrid and Brentford. Thomas Tuchel will be hoping that his side are only experiencing a blip in their form, especially since they have comfortably been the third best team in England this season. But this has only been possible due to certain players stepping up in their roles over the last couple of months.
Chelsea stand a chance of winning more silverware this season
It is perhaps quite late for the Blues to compete for the Premier League title but they still stand a chance of winning the Champions League and the FA Cup. Their form in the cup competition has been imperious, which is a surprise, given the amount of injuries they have sustained throughout the course of the campaign. However, in such times, some players have upped their game while others have improved to fill in for the injured absentees.
Trending
On that note, let's take a look at the 5 most improved players at Chelsea this season.
#5 Christian Pulisic
Christian Pulisic has had quite a start-stop career at Chelsea since deciding to join them from Borussia Dortmund in 2019. But after a poor first half of the season, the American is finding some good form.
Although he recently picked up yet another injury, the 23-year-old ace has been an important part of the side in recent weeks. Over the last three months, he has managed to score four goals and provide two assists, including scoring once against Liverpool and twice against Lille. The winger was then heavily involved in the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool before performing well against Burnley as well.
While he has not been at his best since the end of the international break, Tuchel will be hoping that his former pupil can end the season on a strong note.
#4 Kepa Arrizabalaga
Kepa Arrizabalaga is no longer the villain in the eyes of Chelsea fans. The Spanish goalkeeper, who arrived on a then-club-record transfer fee in 2018 was heavily criticized in his first two seasons. But he has rekindled himself into an able deputy to Edouard Mendy over the last couple of years.
Tuchel has used the shot-stopper exclusively for domestic cup competitions this season and the former Athletic Bilbao ace has impressed. He is far calmer on the ball and in 1v1 situations as well. Moreover, he does not fret during set pieces or whilst coming up against burly strikers in the penalty box. His five clean sheets in nine games this year is certainly evidence of the same, especially after he only managed two clean sheets in the first half of the campaign.
The Blues may not consider him worthy of starting ahead of Mendy yet, but Arrizabalaga has proved that he can step up when his side needs him to.
#3 Antonio Rudiger
Antonio Rudiger has never exactly experienced a poor run of form over the past year, but is constantly improving on his minor weaknesses. He managed to display the same quite elegantly in 2022.
The German is adept at passing the ball out from the back and is marvelous through set-pieces. But his aggressiveness in tackles is one tiny flaw that he has been able to remove from his game in recent months. The centre-back takes far more calculated risks now and is often the first to prevent a fight rather than instigating it. He has 10 clean sheets in 19 games this year to prove the same, while he also comes in the 90th percentile of applying pressures in the final third.
Arguably the most reliable player in the entire Chelsea squad, the Blues will be hoping to retain Rudiger's services once his contract runs out in the summer.
#2 Hakim Ziyech
Hakim Ziyech has been one of Chelsea's best attackers in 2022 and the numbers speak for themselves.
His goals against Brighton and Crystal Palace secured crucial points for the Blues while his performance against Tottenham was arguably his best of the campaign. To add to that, he was amazing on the road to the Carabao Cup final and has also been a key member of the club's FA Cup progress this season.
The Moroccan has not started a game this month but is likely to make an impact if he starts in some crucial games in the upcoming weeks. He has provided five goals and one assist in 17 games in 2022, with most of them coming during key occasions.
Ziyech has the guile, ability and creativity to unlock defenses and Tuchel will be hoping that the African ace can tap into that soon.
#1 Kai Havertz
Kai Havertz has been the main man for the West London club in 2022, thanks to his crunch goals during crunch occasions.
Over the last three to four months, the German has found the net against Tottenham, Norwich, Burnley, Newcastle United, Southampton, Real Madrid and LOSC Lille.
He also scored against Palmeiras in the Club World Cup final and was unlucky not to find the back of the net in the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool. But the timing of this goal-scoring form has been excellent as the Blues need a center-forward who can propel them past the finish line to win some silverware this season.
All in all, he has managed nine goals and two assists in 17 games in 2022. This is considerably more than the four goals and three assists he provided in his 21 games in the first half of the campaign.
Havertz scored the Champions League winning goal last season and one would not rule him out scoring some more key goals in the coming weeks.
