If one word could sum up Chelsea's title triumph, their fifth of the Premier League era and one that was sealed by Michy Batshuayi's winner at West Brom on Friday, it would be "simplicity."

Antonio Conte's team have emerged triumphant because they have done the basics properly and kept everything simple. They have ruthlessly exploited the advantages of a reduced fixture list, a legacy of last season's failure to qualify for Europe, and ticked all of the boxes that define every title-winning side.

Chelsea have had a reliable goalkeeper in Thibaut Courtois, a rock-solid defence -- especially after Conte switched to three at the back in October -- tenacity and flair in midfield, game-changing forwards in Eden Hazard and Pedro, and a centre-forward, Diego Costa, who has delivered the goals when needed most. And from the bench, they have been able to rely on the top-level quality of Cesc Fabregas and Willian.

When the season began, it was billed as a battle between seven of the world's leading coaches, with Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho singled out as the men set to ensure that Manchester was the heart of the action. City and United were supposed to slug it out while the rest chased their shadows.

Conte arrived with a stellar reputation, having laid the foundations for Juventus' decade of dominance in Italy, but he only checked into Stamford Bridge in July after taking Italy to the quarterfinals of Euro 2016. Therefore he was instantly cast as the outsider, a man tasked with reviving a team that trailed in 10th place last season.

But while Guardiola's big ideas began to confuse at City and Mourinho found life tougher than expected at United, Conte set about laying down his blueprint at Chelsea. No gimmicks and no big proclamations -- just hard work and devotion to a tactical philosophy that has now delivered the Premier League trophy to Stamford Bridge.

Football really is a simple game, and Chelsea have won the title by doing what all Premier League champions do. They have displayed power, strength, organisation and consistency, with moments of brilliance sprinkled like stardust by Hazard and Cesc Fabregas.

Leicester City won the title 12 months ago by keeping it simple, just as Chelsea did under Mourinho the season before, and Conte has done the same by going back to basics. To go through a season with more than half a team being worthy of an 8/10 mark is a good starting point for any potential champions, and Chelsea have sailed toward meeting that criteria.

Victor Moses, reinvented as a wing-back by Conte, has been a revelation. Cesar Azpilicueta blossomed into an ultra-reliable defender alongside David Luiz, who has rebuilt his reputation after being re-signed by Conte from Paris Saint-Germain to anchor the Chelsea back three.

Marcos Alonso has delivered balance and crucial goals down the left, N'Golo Kante has rightly won both Footballer of the Year awards from defensive midfield, and Hazard rediscovered his old form to prove that last season's downturn was nothing more than a blip on the Belgium international's part.

The catalyst for Chelsea's surge to the title was September's 3-0 defeat at Arsenal, which came less than a week after a 2-1 reverse at home to Liverpool; the two results convinced Conte to impose the three at the back system that had brought him so much success in Italy. From that point on, Chelsea were a team transformed, winning their next 13 league games and keeping clean sheets in 10 of those fixtures. They went from eighth, after a defeat at the Emirates, to claim top spot on Nov. 5 after a 5-0 rout of Everton at Stamford Bridge; and there they remained ever since.

Leading the way in a title race can gnaw away at a team's emotions and lead to a fear of throwing away the good work, but whenever Chelsea suffered a negative result, they bounced back immediately to dispel any suggestion of frayed nerves. Since the turn of the year, Conte's side have lost to Tottenham, Crystal Palace and Manchester United and, on each occasion, they have responded with a victory.

Chelsea's success has come with criticism -- some thinly veiled at times -- about their aesthetic qualities. Mourinho, damning with faint praise, described Chelsea as a "very defensive team," adding: "I think in this situation, a very defensive team wins the title with counter-attack goals and set-piece goals."

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has spoken of Man City being the most difficult team to face because they play "real football, which is difficult to defend against." Just this week when asked about Chelsea, Arsene Wenger spoke of his concerns for the game if it "rewards teams who don't take the initiative."

Yet while Chelsea may have lacked the X factor in terms of excitement or the outstanding quality of Wenger's great Arsenal teams or the best United sides of the Sir Alex Ferguson era, they have been anything but dour. The stunning breakaway goal scored by Hazard in the 2-1 win at West Ham in March encapsulated the ability of Conte's Chelsea to hit opponents ruthlessly. They're also on course to end the season as the Premier League's leading scorers.

Chelsea have put five past Everton, four past United and three past City and Arsenal in victories this season, so they are anything but defensive and negative. They are a team who can defend resolutely, create in midfield and score lots of goals.

They're simplicity in its purest form, and that is why Chelsea are champions. And, with an FA Cup final against Arsenal to come, this season could yet get even better for the Stamford Bridge club.

Source:
courtesy of ESPNFC

by MARK OGDEN, SENIOR FOOTBALL WRITER

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