Chelsea Win League

            The race is finally over. The Premier League title has been taken by Chelsea following a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace. While there are still games left in the season, Chelsea has taken the championship by its sheer number of points over the competition. Currently seven points ahead of its closest rival, Manchester City, Chelsea has been heads above the competition. This winning game was representative of the entire season for the team. In the beginning of the game, Chelsea was playing nervously and couldn’t seem to make up their minds on how to play: either attacking or just waiting the game out. A header by Hazard before the break brought some calm to the team, and they were able to hold Crystal Palace off for the rest of the game to win the title. This is very much like how the rest of their season has gone, with Chelsea sitting miles ahead of the league. This leaves them caught between a team that wants to attack and play the game, but also one that wants to do anything it can to win, even if that means sitting back and accepting minor victories. They have often, especially more recently, just held their opponents, scoring on a counter, and then just sitting on a 1-0 lead until the end. Obviously, this tactic has proved useful, and although it is less fun to watch, I think most fans would take the league title over the team playing fancy football.

            The success of the club, although a team victory, can most definitely be attributed to the success of two individuals: manager Jose Mourinho and midfielder Eden Hazard. Taking part in player growth and honing in on key players and their roles, Mourinho has really helped the team become, well, a team. Also, he has managed to get along with (for the most part) the people around him at Chelsea, something that was not the case at previous clubs. As for Eden Hazard, he will no doubt be winning player of the year awards from multiple places, and he has been crucial to everything Chelsea has done this season. With 14 goals and 8 assists, Hazard has been a part of most every attack that Chelsea staged. Considered by many to be the best player of the Premier League, it is no question that he has been valuable to Chelsea in their efforts. Hazard has been a key player in their attack and overall play, and his, along with Mourinho’s, role in the team have been very important to their success.