Chelsea’s 2015 Premier League title win will go down as one of the most dominant in recent history. While key acquisitions like Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas will deservedly receive substantial credit for their performances, there are a handful of underrated players that definitely deserve a long look as some of the unsung heroes of this season. Let’s take a look at five unsung heroes for Chelsea that they have to find a way to keep this summer.
D – Gary Cahill
Cahill has been one of the most underrated players of Chelsea’s success over the past three years. He has won every major honor in England since arriving from Bolton for a discount price of seven million euros in 2012. Terry is the bigger name on the back end but Cahill has forged a very important partnership with him over time. His emergence was so important when it came to allowing the Blues the flexibility to move David Luiz when they did. Chelsea isn’t very deep on the back end right now and that makes keeping Cahill moving forward that much more important. Remember, this is a team that allowed a league-low 31 goals this season (only Southampton matched them at 31), so they can’t afford to lose a key defender.
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D – Willian
Tottenham Hotspur still regret not locking up Willian before Chelsea pounced on him in the summer of 2013. He has played an integral role for the Blues ever since – especially this season. Similar to the situation with Terry and Cahill on the back end, Willian doesn’t get the level of credit that he deserves because of bigger names in the midfield like Hazard. However, he has been a key unsung hero for the Blues and they will need him moving forward as a key piece on their wing.
D – Branislav Ivanovic
Ivanovic has gained a reputation as somewhat of a divisive figure among Chelsea fans as some either love him or hate him. But any way you slice it, the bottom line is that the team would find it very difficult to find a better defender. Ivanovic is 31 years old but he played at an extremely high level this season. His ability to stand tall at the defensive end as well as push forward and join the attack makes him a very versatile and important piece on the back end for the Blues. As you can tell, the Blues have a number of question marks on defense in terms of who is staying and who is going, so keep a versatile player like Ivanovic is going to prove to be crucial.
D – Filipe Luis
Luis has struggled with his consistency in his first season at Chelsea but the bottom line is that he has played well towards the end of the season when holding down the left back position. He was a key at points in the season as Chelsea was fending off Man City. He has shown enough promise to buy in to his stock moving forward. Factor in the lack of other options available heading in to this offseason and that makes Luis worth the investment in the long term.
F – Loic Remy
Remy has been another inconsistent player for Chelsea in his first season but he is still young and if he can improve his overall conditioning, he can be a very valuable player for the team moving forward. The Blues will need a replacement for Didier Drogba as the secondary striker behind Costa and Remy is the most likely to take over that position as the first forward off the bench. Remy is still just 28 years old and he’ll likely be counted upon in a greater role if he’s back. The Blues have managed 70 goals so far this season, which is the second-most in the EPL only next to Manchester City.
