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Season review: How Chelsea's players rated as Hazard, Terry shine

By Wires
Sports News Season review: How Chelsea's players rated as Hazard, Terry shine
MAY 3, 2015 LISTEN

After Chelsea clinched the Premier League title, we rate all 20 players who made five or more league appearances this season.

GOALKEEPERS
Petr Cech (6 games/0 goals) - 5/10: Now back-up to Thibaut Courtois, Cech has understandably struggled to reach the same heights as in previous campaign and will leave in the summer.

Thibaut Courtois (30/0) - 8/10: Still only 22, it says everything about Courtois' class that the relegation of Petr Cech after 10 years of service passed with barely a murmur.

DEFENDERS
Cesar Azpilicueta (28/0) - 9/10: Outstanding all campaign and touted by Gary Neville as the Premier League's best defender. We can probably stop saying he's out of position at left-back.

Gary Cahill (33/1) - 7/10: Successfully fended off the challenge of Kurt Zouma to keep his place in central defence, but looks a lot less secure without John Terry.

Filipe Luis (13/0) - 5/10: The arrival from Atletico Madrid failed to dislodge Azpilicueta from the left-back position and never managed to establish himself in Jose Mourinho's plans.

Branislav Ivanovic (35/4) - 8/10: Ivanovic is the perfect Mourinho player - for his versatility, his team ethic, his eye for an important goal... and his ability to wind up the opposition.

John Terry (35/4) - 9/10: It's hard to believe that two years ago his career looked all but dead after being eased out of the team by Rafa Benitez. A remarkable season from the Chelsea captain.

Kurt Zouma (14/0) - 6/10: Must have hoped for more than six starts - and has been recently deployed in midfield. But Zouma is still just 20 and looks a phenomenal prospect.

MIDFIELDERS
Juan Cuadrado (9/0) - 5/10: The Colombian failed to make a significant contribution following his January deadline day arrival - needs to put that right next season.

Cesc Fabregas (31/3) - 8/10: Started in utterly unstoppable fashion, forging an immediate bons with Diego Costa. Despite cooliong off after Christmas, he has still enjoyed a fine campaign.

Nemanja Matic (33/1) - 8/10: Though he's about a foot taller, Matic has become as important to this side as Claude Makelele was to Mourinho's first Chelsea squad at the base of the midfield.

John Obi Mikel (16/0) - 5/10: Matic's arrival all but spelled the end of Mikel as a figure of any importance at Stamford Bridge, and he will surely leave the club this summer.

Eden Hazard (35/14) - 9/10: A deserving PFA Player of the Year winner, Hazard has been phenomenal. The only question now is whether he can reach the same heights as Messi and Ronaldo.

Oscar (28/6) - 6/10: The Brazilian has struggled since Christmas, copping public criticism from Mourinho. But he has had his moments, and deserves credit for his work rate.

Ramires (23/2) - 6/10: Ramires' influence appeared to be on the wane, but he has been a fixture for much of Chelsea's run-in, offering extra protection in midfield.

Andre Schurrle (14/3) - 5/10: The German was sold to Wolfsburg in January but should get his medal in the post. While never a key man, he was a useful and versatile option.

Willian (34/2) - 7/10: Some will tear their hair out that Mourinho prefers Willian to an artist like Juan Mata, but the Brazilian has been a fixture in an attacking midfield berth.

FORWARDS
Diego Costa (24/19) - 8/10: Chelsea needed a goalscorer and in Diego Costa they got a ruthless finisher and an absolute nightmare for defenders. Needs to get his hamstring right, though.

Didier Drogba (27/4) - 6/10: Clearly he's not the player he was, but few teams would turn their nose up at Drogba as a third-choice striker, and he is still adored by the fans.

Loic Remy (16/5) - 6/10: A frustrating, injury-dogged campaign for Remy who has stared just four times. Has shown enough to suggest that, of fit, he could do more next term given the chance.

Also played: Mohamed Salah (3/0), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (1/0)

MANAGER
Jose Mourinho - 9/10: All Mourinho does is win titles. That's eight league championships now - three with Chelsea - and this triumph was achieved at a canter. That he felt compelled to jettison his early-season commitment to free-flowing football won't bother Chelsea fans but it just takes the edge of his achievement for neutrals. His squad is in terrific shape and will surely target both the Premier League and Champions League next season.

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