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| Chelsea Season 2014/15 Review |
Chelsea are champions again!
Jose Mourinho's men led from the front and deservedly sealed the title with three games to spare after a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues started the season with four straight wins, including dramatic 6-3 and 4-2 wins against Everton and Swansea respectively. A first defeat of the season did not arrive until December, at Newcastle, before which Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham had been satisfyingly seen off.
Reigning champions Man City reeled us in by the first day of January but the response was emphatic. The next 15 games, up to and including the victory over Palace, yielded 11 wins and four draws, giving the Blues an unassailable 16-point lead.
It was a team effort, acknowledged by the fact six players - Branislav Ivanovic, Gary Cahill, John Terry, Nemanja Matic, Eden Hazard and Diego Costa - were voted by their peers into the PFA Team of the Year. Hazard picked up the main prize for the first time after an exhilarating campaign.
There were other outstanding performers, including Thibaut Courtois in goal and Cesc Fabregas in midfield, while at left-back Cesar Azpilicueta was as reliable as ever. Willian, Oscar, Loic Remy and the returning Didier Drogba added attacking thrust.
The quality of football on display, particularly in the first half of the season, was some of the best ever seen at Stamford Bridge. When dogged performances were required later in the campaign the team showed they were just as capable at producing those, ensuring Mourinho and his men were the worthiest of champions.
The Blues secured the League Cup for the fifth time in our history courtesy of a 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur.
In what was a repeat of the 2008 final, the result never looked in serious doubt from the moment John Terry fired us in front with his first cup final goal on the stroke of half-time.
Early in the second half our lead was extended when Cesc Fabregas rolled the ball into the feet of Diego Costa, whose subsequent strike deflected off Kyle Walker into the back of the net.
There had been little to choose between the sides up until the opening goal, with Christian Eriksen thumping the bar with a free-kick for Tottenham, while the Blues had looked dangerous on the break.
Eden Hazard went close to adding a third when he curled a right-footed strike inches past the far post, and at the other end it required a brilliant tackle by Terry to prevent Harry Kane from reducing our lead.
The road to Wembley had begun with a 2-1 win over Bolton at Stamford Bridge, with Kurt Zouma scoring a debut goal and Oscar firing home the winner.
A tricky test in difficult conditions at Shrewsbury followed, and while we looked on course for a routine victory when Didier Drogba gave us the lead, the home side hit back soon after and we needed a late goal to secure our progression.
In-form Championship side Derby County were next up, where goals from Eden Hazard, Filipe Luis and Andre Schurrle gave us a 3-1 victory and set up a two-legged semi-final against Liverpool.
An inspired performance by Thibaut Courtois ensured the game at Anfield ended 1-1, after Raheem Sterling cancelled out a Hazard penalty.
Back at Stamford Bridge it was another tight affair, so much so that extra-time was required to separate the two teams, with Branislav Ivanovic scoring the decisive goal, heading home a Willian free-kick to book our place at Wembley.
Jose Mourinho's men led from the front and deservedly sealed the title with three games to spare after a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues started the season with four straight wins, including dramatic 6-3 and 4-2 wins against Everton and Swansea respectively. A first defeat of the season did not arrive until December, at Newcastle, before which Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham had been satisfyingly seen off.
Reigning champions Man City reeled us in by the first day of January but the response was emphatic. The next 15 games, up to and including the victory over Palace, yielded 11 wins and four draws, giving the Blues an unassailable 16-point lead.
It was a team effort, acknowledged by the fact six players - Branislav Ivanovic, Gary Cahill, John Terry, Nemanja Matic, Eden Hazard and Diego Costa - were voted by their peers into the PFA Team of the Year. Hazard picked up the main prize for the first time after an exhilarating campaign.
There were other outstanding performers, including Thibaut Courtois in goal and Cesc Fabregas in midfield, while at left-back Cesar Azpilicueta was as reliable as ever. Willian, Oscar, Loic Remy and the returning Didier Drogba added attacking thrust.
The quality of football on display, particularly in the first half of the season, was some of the best ever seen at Stamford Bridge. When dogged performances were required later in the campaign the team showed they were just as capable at producing those, ensuring Mourinho and his men were the worthiest of champions.
The Blues secured the League Cup for the fifth time in our history courtesy of a 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur.
In what was a repeat of the 2008 final, the result never looked in serious doubt from the moment John Terry fired us in front with his first cup final goal on the stroke of half-time.
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| Mourinho claim League Cup |
There had been little to choose between the sides up until the opening goal, with Christian Eriksen thumping the bar with a free-kick for Tottenham, while the Blues had looked dangerous on the break.
Eden Hazard went close to adding a third when he curled a right-footed strike inches past the far post, and at the other end it required a brilliant tackle by Terry to prevent Harry Kane from reducing our lead.
The road to Wembley had begun with a 2-1 win over Bolton at Stamford Bridge, with Kurt Zouma scoring a debut goal and Oscar firing home the winner.
A tricky test in difficult conditions at Shrewsbury followed, and while we looked on course for a routine victory when Didier Drogba gave us the lead, the home side hit back soon after and we needed a late goal to secure our progression.
In-form Championship side Derby County were next up, where goals from Eden Hazard, Filipe Luis and Andre Schurrle gave us a 3-1 victory and set up a two-legged semi-final against Liverpool.
An inspired performance by Thibaut Courtois ensured the game at Anfield ended 1-1, after Raheem Sterling cancelled out a Hazard penalty.
Back at Stamford Bridge it was another tight affair, so much so that extra-time was required to separate the two teams, with Branislav Ivanovic scoring the decisive goal, heading home a Willian free-kick to book our place at Wembley.
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