Chelsea: Grading The Squad For 2017/18

Willian

A ray of hope

There have been times this season when the Chelsea team needed a piece of individual brilliance and inspiration from somewhere and Willian has been able to provide just that.

Conte's decision to play 3-5-2 often hampered his playing time but whenever the likes of Hazard and Fabregas were unable to make the creative influence they like to assert, Willian stepped up brilliantly.

Despite losing against Barcelona in the Champions League, Willian was their brightest spark over the two legs and in their majority of games during that period. He has had a hand in 25 goals for the club this season which underlines his underlying importance.

Antonio Rudiger

Promising

A summer signing from AS Roma, Antonio Rudiger, unlike many other defenders, wasted no time in adjusting to the intensity of the competition. His aggressive and impulsive nature has helped the cause and he has been impressive this season.

He has also managed to score that odd goal on the other end of the pitch as well. He made 45 appearances for the club this season including a Man of the Match performance in the FA Cup final.

A bright, solid season from the German who can go on to become a mainstay in their defence in the coming years.

Thibaut Courtois

Will he stay?

There have been no shortage of interest in Thibaut Courtois, particularly from Real Madrid, and there are even reports of him not committing his long-term future at the club. But all these exit talks did not stop him from being at his best for the good part of the season.

He kept a decent 15 clean sheets in the league, making 75 saves. He was a man in form in the FA Cup final and also produced a string of saves to deny Manchester United from finding the back of the net.

However, he has been held responsible to a large extent for their Champions League exit as the Belgian could have done better, particularly in the second leg at Camp Nou. But overall, an above average season for the keeper but not one of his best.