Chelsea have officially won their fifth Premier League title this evening with a 1-0 win against West Bromwich Albion.
The Blues went to The Hawthorns needing only three more points to clinch the title. The game featured huge build-up from fans and pundits alike. West Brom were tough opposition at Stamford Bridge in December. It was clear that they would not give Chelsea points easily.
Conte’s men had to be incredibly patient against a defensive West Brom. Tony Pulis’ side played high up and didn’t allow Chelsea any comfort in their attack. Even though the Blues dominated possession, it didn’t pay off. Chelsea registered 24 shots to West Brom’s 11, but could not find the back of the net.
That is, until Michy Batshuayi came on as part of a double substitution (Eden Hazard and Pedro for Batshuayi and Willian). The changes came late in the game and it still took until the 82nd minute for Chelsea to break through. As the clock ticked down, Chelsea found what they needed.
Batshuayi’s goal came from Cesar Azpilicueta’s pass and sent the Chelsea players, fans and bench into euphoria. His goal may have been scrappy, but it was important. He was in the right place at the right time. It paid off massively.
After the game, Cesc Fabregas summed up the Belgian’s impact in layman’s terms:
"“He (Batshuayi) doesn’t count too much and then scores the winning goal for the Championship… Football is f****** unbelievable.”"
As expected for this clinical Chelsea side, they held onto possession and saw the game out comfortably. This was a deserved end to a near-perfect season for the Blues.
Antonio Conte knows how to win. That much is clear from his record with Juventus – eight titles won as a player and manager. It didn’t take long for him to make his mark at Chelsea and in the Premier League.
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Chelsea went on a 13 game unbeaten run in the winter and have dominated the league table for the majority of the season. They rank first place for more than just points, too.
The Blues have the highest number of away wins, the highest number of goals, and the fewest shots on targets faced this season. These are just some of the factors that got them to their victory this evening.
The talent is spread throughout the squad. New summer signings such as David Luiz, N’golo Kante and Marcos Alonso all made huge impacts.
In a single season, Conte has reimagined Chelsea. Unlike last season, they’ve been ruthless for every ball. Every player knows their role and usually performs to the high standards the manager demands. They’ve won the league with 87 points, and are on the way to earn a record-breaking points tally for the season.
Next: The bigger picture of Arsenal's fourth place fight
Winning with a couple of games to spare means Chelsea fans can breathe easily for the remaining week of the season. After that, there is the highly anticipated FA Cup final to look forward to. Arsenal will not be an easy opponent in that game.
Conte will surely give his players a well-earned break, but then the hard work continues. But for now, Chelsea can celebrate in the knowledge that they have already won the country’s most prestigious trophy.