Rating Chelsea’s squad based on their performances over past season | OneFootball

Chelsea’s season was a tale of two halves. Mired in the bottom half of the table at Christmas but qualifying for Europe in May, it was certainly a surprise to see Mauricio Pochettino depart, but what can be said for the squad that got him through the year?

Chelsea fans will shudder to think where this team might be without the influence of Cole Palmer – the stats show they would have finished just above the relegation zone without his goals and assists – and the leadership of a young squad by the departing Thiago Silva.

The Blues board will have a task on their hands to find useful loan moves or permanent new homes for some of the squad’s under-performers too.

Here are how we rated the Chelsea squad this season…

Djorde Petrovic – 6.5

The Serb did well to maintain the starting spot after making a difficult debut at Goodison Park, but whether he can hold onto the No.1 shirt in the long term remains to be seen.

Robert Sanchez – 5

After arriving in the summer as the new first-choice goalkeeper, Sanchez lost his place through injury after recording a string of average performances and then failed to win it back from Petrovic. A Save of the Season nomination for his effort to deny Aston Villa’s Nicolo Zaniolo was likely the high point of his season.

Conor Gallagher – 8

Serving as Chelsea’s stand-in captain, Gallagher was among the team’s most consistent performers, with his relentless pressing standing out against the backdrop of a generally lacklustre team.

Moises Caicedo – 7

After taking a while to settle at Stamford Bridge, his passing range and defensive acumen quickly became crucial to Chelsea’s build up play. He finally caught attention after scoring from the halfway-line on the final day.

Nicolas Jackson – 6.5

Jackson’s tally of 19 goal involvements in his debut season cannot be overlooked, but Chelsea fans will go into the summer wondering how high that number could have risen as he finished the year with 24 big chances missed.

Cole Palmer – 9.5

Chelsea would have been lost without Palmer’s input this season because of the composure and attacking dynamism he brings to the side. With such a unique profile and consistently high level of performance, he was handily Chelsea’s best player of the campaign.

Raheem Sterling – 4

Despite making 22 starts, Sterling chalked up just eight goals and four assists in the league, and his selfishness in attacking situations set a poor example for his less experienced teammates. The less said about the FA Cup performance against Leicester, the better.

Thiago Silva – 7

Thiago Silva is irreplaceable. Even at 39 years old, he was arguably Chelsea’s best performing and most consistent centre-back throughout the campaign, with his leadership making him all the more valuable. He will be sorely missed.

Axel Disasi – 5

Disasi has all the makings of a fan favourite, but as evidenced by his 40-yard own-goal against Leicester, his tendency to make mistakes throws doubt on his spot in the team.

Mykhailo Mudryk – 6

The raw talent Mudryk possesses is special, but his contributions have been minimal considering the minutes he has played and the £88.5m fee he cost. His shortcomings are exacerbated when compared to Leandro Trossard, who Arsenal signed for just £27m after missing out on Mudryk’s signature.

Enzo Fernandez – 6

As with so many aspects of the Clearlake ownership, Fernandez’s performances through this season have been disappointing. The Caicedo partnership never quite reached its intended heights, but the fact that he was playing through a hernia for much of the season did not help.

Malo Gusto – 8

If it were not for Palmer’s heroics, Malo Gusto would have been Chelsea’s signing of the season. Stepping up in Reece James’ absence, he proved to be a complete full back and looked an incredibly mature player at just 21 years old.

Noni Madueke – 5

We have seen flashes of what Madueke can do, but his tendency to be self-centred often negates much of the good he has done on the ball. Petulance such as bickering over penalties will not fly in the future.

Levi Colwill – 6.5

Colwill played at his native centre back in less than half of his league starts, so we never quite got to see him at his best this year beyond brief flashes of quality. Injuries forced him to miss game time too.

Marc Cucurella – 5.5

Cucurella failed to have much of an impact on the season following an ankle surgery, but his role as an inverted full back was integral to Chelsea’s late run of wins which helped to secure European qualification.

Benoit Badiashile – 5

Failed to convince when given the opportunity and despite improving late on in the season, does not look a reliable option in the middle of defence moving forward.

Ben Chilwell – 5.5

Only managed 13 league games because of injury and failed to have a sustained impact on the team.

Trevoh Chalobah – 6.5

Missed much of the season due to a persistent injury but had a significant impact on his return.

Reece James – 4

Spent most of his season on the sidelines due to injuries and surgery, but still managed as many red cards as he did assists in the 11 appearances he made.

Christopher Nkunku – 6

Managed a paltry two starts in all competitions but was an incredibly positive presence when he was on the pitch.

Alfie Gilchrist – 6

A defender with a bright future who did well when called upon.