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Gianfranco Zola: 'Chelsea have been consistent... but next season is different, I'm sure Jose Mourinho will strengthen'

EXCLUSIVE: Chelsea legend on the Blues and their need to improve again

Friday 22 May 2015 22:39 BST

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Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola has been impressed by his former club this season, but knows that the side must improve if they are to repeat as champions.

With Manchester City, Manchester United and Arsenal expected to spend big this summer in a bid to close the gap with Chelsea, the Italian believes Jose Mourinho will look to improve his squad, even if they ran away with the title.

"I think what has impressed mainly this year is the consistency that they had," Zola tells The Independent.

"Also, looking at all the other teams the have been moments in which Arsenal, for example, had eight wins in a row, scoring goals and not conceding. Manchester United had their own run, Liverpool had their own spell.

Chelsea season player ratings

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1/21Chelsea season player ratings

Chelsea season player ratings

GOALKEEPERS: Thibaut Courtois

The Belgian goalkeeper ousted long-term No 1 Petr Cech on age rather than ability - right now, the Czech is better than Courtois, who has had a few wobbly moments this season and was dropped. But the Blues are looking to the future with the best young keeper in the world. 8.5/10

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Chelsea season player ratings

Petr Cech

It's a shame that his Chelsea career had to end in this manner, but Cech will go down as the best goalkeeper in club history and is easily in the top two since the advent of the Premier League. Was called upon numerous times this season and proved he is still one of the best in the world, playing a vital role. 7

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Chelsea season player ratings

Branislav Ivanovic

Has played every minute of every Premier League game to stake his claim as the best right-back in the division. Defensively stout, full of energy and a real threat in the attacking half, where he notched five goals and five assists in all competitions. A cult hero. 8.5

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Chelsea season player ratings

Gary Cahill

Jose Fonte probably has a case to be angry that Cahill pipped him to the Team of the Year. The England man has had a really up and down season, with the lowest point coming in an awful display at White Hart Lane when Chelsea lost 5-3. Earned his place back in the team and has been much better ever since. 7.5

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Chelsea season player ratings

Cesar Azpilicueta

After seeing off Ashley Cole last season, Filipe Luis was bought in to oust the right-footed Azpilicueta from the left-back spot, but he couldn't do it. The Spaniard is one of the best defenders in the league and has made the position his own, a ruthless defender who provides great support and cover to Chelsea's main man, Eden Hazard. 8

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Chelsea season player ratings

John Terry

An absolutely flawless season. He will be blamed for the 5-3 at Spurs but he didn't actually play too badly in that game. Played every minute of every game and hasn't put a foot wrong once. The best defender in the division by a long, long way. 10

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Chelsea season player ratings

Filipe Luis

Chelsea will be hailed for their summer business when pundits look back on 2014-15 but they weren't all hits. A £15.8m signing who never fit in, Luis may well leave the club after starting just seven league games. 2

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Chelsea season player ratings

Kurt Zouma

The mountainous defender has been a revelation. The 20-year-old hasn't played as many games as it may seem (16 starts in all comps) but that's because he has come up big in the biggest games. Mourinho has trusted the Frenchman agaiinst Chelsea's biggest threats and he's come through. Has a major future at Stamford Bridge. 7.5

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Chelsea season player ratings

MIDFIELDERS: Cesc Fabregas

Has slowed down in the second half of the season because of injury, tiredness and as nerves have set in amongst the squad, but take nothing away from Fabregas, he is the biggest difference between Chelsea from last season and this one. The Blues didn't have anything close to a midfielder as good as the Spaniard last season, who has provided five goals and 21 assists for the Blues in all competitions. 9

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Chelsea season player ratings

Ramires

Injury has slowed down the Brazilian to just 11 starts but he plays a vital role in the Chelsea squad, whether playing as a box-to-box driving force, a holding midfielder or as an extra man in defensive line-ups. 6

Chelsea season player ratings

John Obi Mikel

Has barely featured because of injury and the impressive play of other midfielders, especially when Chelsea were playing the best football in the division at the start of the season. Still, against certain teams Mikel is a much needed defensive shield who they would miss if he went. 4

Chelsea season player ratings

Nemanja Matic

The best defensive midfielder in England, Matic has formed a formidable partnership with Fabregas that has no weaknesses. Supremely comfortable on the ball, a great reader of the game and able to win the physical battle against the majority of opponents, the big Serbian is a wrecking ball in midfield. 8.5

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Chelsea season player ratings

Oscar

Impresses in fits and starts but never seems to have a consistent run of games where he is the main man. An attacking midfielder for a table topping team should probably score more than seven goals in a season. His greatest asset is his work rate and tactical discipline - that's both praise and criticism. 6.5

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Chelsea season player ratings

Willian

Like Oscar , Willian does a vital job in this Chelsea team as an outlet, on the counter-attack and as an extra defender through sheer work rate. He may be under instruction but Willian simply does not score or create enough goals to be considered among the best, even though he has the talent. Three goals and five assists all season isn't enough. 7

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Chelsea season player ratings

Juan Cuadrado

Whisper it, but this is starting to look like a bit of a misstep by Chelsea. He's been in England less than six months so things like language, settling into a new city and playing with new team-mates are all factors. But the Colombian has not shown anything in Blue. Has only started three games since he joined and was terrible against Palace. A full pre-season should help. 2

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Chelsea season player ratings

Eden Hazard

Without equal in the Premier League, Hazard is not only Chelsea's main man, but he is the man for the big occasion. The Belgian deservedly won the Player of the Year award. He is Chelsea's plan A, B and C, the man they look for to inspire them to victory. 10

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Chelsea season player ratings

STRIKERS: Loic Remy

Injury stopped the Frenchman from playing a bigger part in Chelsea's season - he seemed to have terrible luck all year. But seven goals, including important strikes against Man City, Hull and Stoke, went a long way in Chelsea's march to the title. 6

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Chelsea season player ratings

Didier Drogba

At 37 he's showing his age but seven goals for a third-choice striker who probably wasn't expected to play as much as he has is a very good haul. Clearly still a key influence in the dressing room even if his skills on the pitch are declining. 6

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Chelsea season player ratings

Diego Costa

What a first season in England, Costa justified his hefty price-tag with a brilliant maiden year at Stamford Bridge. 19 Premier League goals gave Chelsea something they hadn't had in recent years and he set the tone with his fiery, fiesty attitude. A great target man and focal point. 9

Chelsea season player ratings

DEPARTURES: Andre Schurrle

As noted with Cuadrado, the swap move is starting to look like a mistake. Schurrle is a player of real quality who didn't want to spend his time on the Blues bench. He seemed to come back from the World Cup fatigued and the German didn't always seem willing to do the work that would make him a Mourinho favourite. A shame as he's a really talented attacker. 4

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Chelsea season player ratings

Mohamed Salah

Forget the form at Fiorentina (!), Chelsea were right to get rid of the Egyptian, who never impressed in Blue. On the rare occassion he was trusted to start - against lower league opposition in the cup competitions - he was awful. Perhaps he was so afraid of making a mistake it made him worse. 1

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"But Chelsea have been consistent throughout the year, week in, week out, even when they were not playing at their best, they managed to get results.

"I think that is the key in a long, competitive season like the Premier League. If I go back to my days, on certain days we were able to play fantastic football - the problem we had at that time was that maybe we weren't able to keep that for a long run."

Zola added: "Next season is completely different. Chelsea will have to find ways to improve what you got.

"It's not easy [to find a weakness] when you have a dominant team like they had this year. I'm sure Jose will be looking to certain areas where he can strengthen, maybe not as regular players, but those who can be ready to come on and give some competition to the others.

"I'm sure they will do something, just to strengthen the squad. Not many but quality. They has been talk about [Real Madrid defender Raphael] Varane, that could be a good signing.

"I'm sure Jose, knowing this league and the requirements of this league, he knows exactly where to go and what to get."

REVEALED: Zola picks his favourite Chelsea goal... not that one

Zola also believes that his former club Watford are well suited to thrive in the Premier League next season.

The 48-year-old was in charge at Vicarage Road for 18 months from July 2012 to December 2013, taking the club to the play-off final, where the club lost to Crystal Palace.

"I know the change from the Championship to the Premier League is massive, they will have to change a lot," said Zola on his former club.

Zola led Watford to the play-off final (GETTY IMAGES)

"But I know that the club is a good club, I know how good they are in scouting and finding players - I'm sure they will be competitive.

"The supporters deserve it, I wouldn't be surprised to see Watford become a well established team in the Premier League because of the knowledge the club the owners have in football."

Barclays and their ambassador Gianfranco Zola are delighted to have given young Chelsea fan, and Spirit of the Game Hero Rachel Key, the opportunity to present the Barclays Premier League trophy to Chelsea this Sunday. To watch Rachel's story go to www.facebook.com/BarclaysFootball

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