Chelsea were crowned Premier
League champions as Michy Batshuayi's late goal gave them the victory
they required to secure the title at West Brom.
It looked as
though Antonio Conte's side might be forced to delay their celebrations
as they were frustrated for long periods by the resilience and
organisation of their hosts.But the mood changed and the title was won with eight minutes left as substitute Batshuayi, who had previously endured a season of struggle after his £33m move from Marseille, ended a scrappy passage of play by steering a finish high past Ben Foster.
The final whistle sparked wild celebrations among Chelsea's fans, and manager Conte was tossed high into the air by his squad.
The Italian can now set his sights on emulating compatriot Carlo Ancelotti's 2010 feat of winning the league and domestic Double as the Blues prepare for an FA Cup final against Arsenal at Wembley on 27 May.
- Watch extended match highlights on Match of the Day from 22:10 on BBC Two and the BBC Sport website/app on Saturday (UK only).
Chelsea worthy champions
Chelsea's celebrations were fully deserved - the culmination of a superb season's work by Conte and his squad.They had to work hard for victory against a West Brom side that demonstrated all the qualities that have made this such a satisfactory season for them but, as so often, Chelsea got the job done.
The Blues' main attacking threats struggled to find a spark, with Eden Hazard's frustration summed up with one long-range shot that went out for a corner, but Conte's side found a way to win, illustrating once again why they are worthy champions.
The losses at home to Liverpool and at Arsenal in September that hinted at early struggles seemed an age away, as did the surprise defeat by struggling Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge, and the setback at Manchester United.
Chelsea, even when not at their best, proved themselves the strongest and most complete side in the Premier League - and they proved it again on a night they were tested.
The news that Chelsea
had agreed to pay £30 million ($38.8 million, 35.7 million euros) to
re-sign David Luiz from Paris Saint-Germain, who had paid £50 million to
sign him in June 2014, was met with mockery by English football fans.
In his previous stint at Chelsea, Luiz’s penchant for hazardous sorties
from centre-back had seen him branded a liability and there was
puzzlement when he was brought back to Stamford Bridge. But the Brazil
international has proved to be an extremely shrewd acquisition by
Antonio Conte, slotting neatly into the centre of Chelsea’s back three
and spreading reassurance with his aggressiveness in the duel and
calmness on the ball. “His decision-making has been far better in terms
of not being as rash,” said former Manchester United defender Gary
Neville. “I have to say he looks more mature. He’s not getting
distracted by the sideshow stuff on the pitch like he did before.”
Victor Moses
Chelsea’s Brazilian-born Spanish striker Diego Costa (C) celebrates
scoring their second goal with Chelsea’s Nigerian midfielder Victor
Moses (L) and Chelsea’s Spanish defender Marcos Alonso (2L) during the
English Premier League football match between Southampton and Chelsea at
St Mary’s Stadium in Southampton, southern England on October 30, 2016.
AFP
Moses barely made a mark during his first four years as a Chelsea player
after being signed from Wigan Athletic in 2012 and was successively
loaned out to Liverpool, Stoke City and West Ham United. But the Nigeria
winger has been one of the chief beneficiaries of Conte’s 3-4-2-1
system, adopted during September’s 3-0 defeat at Arsenal. Though a
winger by trade, Moses has adapted enthusiastically to life as a
wing-back and his flying raids down the right flank have become a key
component of Chelsea’s counter-attacking strategy.
N’Golo Kante
Leicester City succeeded in keeping Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez at the
King Power Stadium following last season’s fairytale title win, but they
lost perhaps their most precious jewel when Kante left for Chelsea in a
£32 million deal. The unassuming France international picked up where
he had left off at Leicester, suffocating opposition midfields with his
relentless activity and uncanny knack for recovering possession. He has
been voted Player of the Year by both the Professional Footballers’
Association (PFA) and the Football Writers’ Association (FWA). “It’s
amazing to see him play,” said former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba.
“You look at him and it’s like he hasn’t run at all during the game
because he’s never tired.”
Eden Hazard
The star of Chelsea’s previous title success in 2014-15, Hazard
underwent an inexplicable slump last season, scoring just four Premier
League goals as Chelsea limped to a dismal 10th-place finish. But the
Belgian winger has been back to his brilliant best this season. Given
extra liberty by Conte, Hazard has been free to sew panic in Premier
League defences with his devilish dribbling and incisive passing. His
15-goal tally is his best in a league campaign since he joined Chelsea
from Lille in 2012 and includes a stunning solo goal in a 3-1 win
against Arsenal that saw him leave three players in his wake. He
finished runner-up behind Kante in the voting for both the PFA and FWA
awards. “He is a great player, a great talent,” said Conte. “And he must
understand that he is a great player and never forget this.”
Diego Costa
Like Hazard, Costa experienced a mystifying dip in form under Jose
Mourinho last season and often seemed more interested in seeking trouble
with opposition defenders than finding the back of the net. This season
has been far from straightforward, amid persistent links with a move to
the Chinese Super League, and he was briefly dropped in January after a
blazing row with a fitness coach. But the Brazil-born Spain
international has managed to keep his eye on the ball nevertheless,
giving Conte a rugged attacking spearhead and scoring 20 league goals
for only the third time in his career.
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/05/victor-moses-key-players-chelseas-title-win/vv
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/05/victor-moses-key-players-chelseas-title-win/vv
The news that Chelsea
had agreed to pay £30 million ($38.8 million, 35.7 million euros) to
re-sign David Luiz from Paris Saint-Germain, who had paid £50 million to
sign him in June 2014, was met with mockery by English football fans.
In his previous stint at Chelsea, Luiz’s penchant for hazardous sorties
from centre-back had seen him branded a liability and there was
puzzlement when he was brought back to Stamford Bridge. But the Brazil
international has proved to be an extremely shrewd acquisition by
Antonio Conte, slotting neatly into the centre of Chelsea’s back three
and spreading reassurance with his aggressiveness in the duel and
calmness on the ball. “His decision-making has been far better in terms
of not being as rash,” said former Manchester United defender Gary
Neville. “I have to say he looks more mature. He’s not getting
distracted by the sideshow stuff on the pitch like he did before.”
Victor Moses
Chelsea’s Brazilian-born Spanish striker Diego Costa (C) celebrates
scoring their second goal with Chelsea’s Nigerian midfielder Victor
Moses (L) and Chelsea’s Spanish defender Marcos Alonso (2L) during the
English Premier League football match between Southampton and Chelsea at
St Mary’s Stadium in Southampton, southern England on October 30, 2016.
AFP
Moses barely made a mark during his first four years as a Chelsea player
after being signed from Wigan Athletic in 2012 and was successively
loaned out to Liverpool, Stoke City and West Ham United. But the Nigeria
winger has been one of the chief beneficiaries of Conte’s 3-4-2-1
system, adopted during September’s 3-0 defeat at Arsenal. Though a
winger by trade, Moses has adapted enthusiastically to life as a
wing-back and his flying raids down the right flank have become a key
component of Chelsea’s counter-attacking strategy.
N’Golo Kante
Leicester City succeeded in keeping Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez at the
King Power Stadium following last season’s fairytale title win, but they
lost perhaps their most precious jewel when Kante left for Chelsea in a
£32 million deal. The unassuming France international picked up where
he had left off at Leicester, suffocating opposition midfields with his
relentless activity and uncanny knack for recovering possession. He has
been voted Player of the Year by both the Professional Footballers’
Association (PFA) and the Football Writers’ Association (FWA). “It’s
amazing to see him play,” said former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba.
“You look at him and it’s like he hasn’t run at all during the game
because he’s never tired.”
Eden Hazard
The star of Chelsea’s previous title success in 2014-15, Hazard
underwent an inexplicable slump last season, scoring just four Premier
League goals as Chelsea limped to a dismal 10th-place finish. But the
Belgian winger has been back to his brilliant best this season. Given
extra liberty by Conte, Hazard has been free to sew panic in Premier
League defences with his devilish dribbling and incisive passing. His
15-goal tally is his best in a league campaign since he joined Chelsea
from Lille in 2012 and includes a stunning solo goal in a 3-1 win
against Arsenal that saw him leave three players in his wake. He
finished runner-up behind Kante in the voting for both the PFA and FWA
awards. “He is a great player, a great talent,” said Conte. “And he must
understand that he is a great player and never forget this.”
Diego Costa
Like Hazard, Costa experienced a mystifying dip in form under Jose
Mourinho last season and often seemed more interested in seeking trouble
with opposition defenders than finding the back of the net. This season
has been far from straightforward, amid persistent links with a move to
the Chinese Super League, and he was briefly dropped in January after a
blazing row with a fitness coach. But the Brazil-born Spain
international has managed to keep his eye on the ball nevertheless,
giving Conte a rugged attacking spearhead and scoring 20 league goals
for only the third time in his career.
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/05/victor-moses-key-players-chelseas-title-win/
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/05/victor-moses-key-players-chelseas-title-win/
The news that Chelsea
had agreed to pay £30 million ($38.8 million, 35.7 million euros) to
re-sign David Luiz from Paris Saint-Germain, who had paid £50 million to
sign him in June 2014, was met with mockery by English football fans.
In his previous stint at Chelsea, Luiz’s penchant for hazardous sorties
from centre-back had seen him branded a liability and there was
puzzlement when he was brought back to Stamford Bridge. But the Brazil
international has proved to be an extremely shrewd acquisition by
Antonio Conte, slotting neatly into the centre of Chelsea’s back three
and spreading reassurance with his aggressiveness in the duel and
calmness on the ball. “His decision-making has been far better in terms
of not being as rash,” said former Manchester United defender Gary
Neville. “I have to say he looks more mature. He’s not getting
distracted by the sideshow stuff on the pitch like he did before.”
Victor Moses
Chelsea’s Brazilian-born Spanish striker Diego Costa (C) celebrates
scoring their second goal with Chelsea’s Nigerian midfielder Victor
Moses (L) and Chelsea’s Spanish defender Marcos Alonso (2L) during the
English Premier League football match between Southampton and Chelsea at
St Mary’s Stadium in Southampton, southern England on October 30, 2016.
AFP
Moses barely made a mark during his first four years as a Chelsea player
after being signed from Wigan Athletic in 2012 and was successively
loaned out to Liverpool, Stoke City and West Ham United. But the Nigeria
winger has been one of the chief beneficiaries of Conte’s 3-4-2-1
system, adopted during September’s 3-0 defeat at Arsenal. Though a
winger by trade, Moses has adapted enthusiastically to life as a
wing-back and his flying raids down the right flank have become a key
component of Chelsea’s counter-attacking strategy.
N’Golo Kante
Leicester City succeeded in keeping Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez at the
King Power Stadium following last season’s fairytale title win, but they
lost perhaps their most precious jewel when Kante left for Chelsea in a
£32 million deal. The unassuming France international picked up where
he had left off at Leicester, suffocating opposition midfields with his
relentless activity and uncanny knack for recovering possession. He has
been voted Player of the Year by both the Professional Footballers’
Association (PFA) and the Football Writers’ Association (FWA). “It’s
amazing to see him play,” said former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba.
“You look at him and it’s like he hasn’t run at all during the game
because he’s never tired.”
Eden Hazard
The star of Chelsea’s previous title success in 2014-15, Hazard
underwent an inexplicable slump last season, scoring just four Premier
League goals as Chelsea limped to a dismal 10th-place finish. But the
Belgian winger has been back to his brilliant best this season. Given
extra liberty by Conte, Hazard has been free to sew panic in Premier
League defences with his devilish dribbling and incisive passing. His
15-goal tally is his best in a league campaign since he joined Chelsea
from Lille in 2012 and includes a stunning solo goal in a 3-1 win
against Arsenal that saw him leave three players in his wake. He
finished runner-up behind Kante in the voting for both the PFA and FWA
awards. “He is a great player, a great talent,” said Conte. “And he must
understand that he is a great player and never forget this.”
Diego Costa
Like Hazard, Costa experienced a mystifying dip in form under Jose
Mourinho last season and often seemed more interested in seeking trouble
with opposition defenders than finding the back of the net. This season
has been far from straightforward, amid persistent links with a move to
the Chinese Super League, and he was briefly dropped in January after a
blazing row with a fitness coach. But the Brazil-born Spain
international has managed to keep his eye on the ball nevertheless,
giving Conte a rugged attacking spearhead and scoring 20 league goals
for only the third time in his career.
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/05/victor-moses-key-players-chelseas-title-win/
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/05/victor-moses-key-players-chelseas-title-win/
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