Another international break is upon us, and now seems like a good time to assess Chelsea’s season so far.
After seven games, Chelsea have racked up 11 points and are currently seventh in the Premier League.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 1 |  ArsenalArsenal | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 3 | 11 | 16 |
| 2 |  LiverpoolLiverpool | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 9 | 4 | 15 |
| 3 |  TottenhamTottenham | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 5 | 8 | 14 |
| 4 |  BournemouthBournemouth | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 14 |
| 5 |  Manchester CityManchester City | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 15 | 6 | 9 | 13 |
| 6 |  Crystal PalaceCrystal Palace | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 12 |
| 7 |  ChelseaChelsea | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 9 | 4 | 11 |
| 8 |  EvertonEverton | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 11 |
| 9 |  SunderlandSunderland | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 11 |
| 10 |  Manchester UnitedManchester United | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 11 | -2 | 10 |
This campaign has come with its challenges, as Chelsea have had to deal with a long injury list and recurring disciplinary issues.
That being said, the Blues aren’t in a bad spot. The gap to the summit stands at five points, and they will want that gap bridged even further when everyone returns from international duty.
But who has been the standout performer at Stamford Bridge up until now?
A Brighton top 3 for Chelsea this season
If you were to do a top three, it would be three former Brighton players making up the podium.
Joao Pedro has settled in nicely at Stamford Bridge, already reaching five goal involvements in the Premier League. He reached that mark after just four outings, and would likely have won this fake award if the trajectory continued.
But it’s been a bit quiet since then, with Pedro struggling in a 10-man side on two recent occasions (through no fault of his own) and failing to impact Chelsea’s most recent game against Liverpool.
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Caicedo, on the other hand, seems to be getting even better as the season wears on. He has three league goals already, most of any player at the club.
The Ecuadorian is indispensable in the middle of the park, and not picking him feels like taking the hipster route, but another player has gotten little recognition for his outstanding campaign.
Time to give Marc Cucurella his flowers
Amid stiff competition from his fellow Brighton alums, Marc Cucurella has looked better than ever.
The Spaniard has rarely put a foot wrong this season and offers stability and experience to Enzo Maresca as he grapples with an injury crisis at the back.
Not only is Cucurella holding things together at the back, but he is also creating more chances this season than ever before.
He already has two assists, matching his highest-ever Premier League tally, just seven games in. Cucurella has also created more chances (10) than any Chelsea player this season, and continues to show why he is one of Europe’s best full-backs.
The decision to pick Chelsea’s left-back over the red-hot Caicedo will raise some eyebrows. Caicedo is undoubtedly the better player, but when you look at Chelsea this season, it’s arguable that his absence could be covered by a Romeo Lavia or Andre Santos. If Cucurella were to miss time, there are far fewer solutions.
If Caicedo is your pick for Player of the Season so far, you’ll get no objections from here. He’s absolutely unreal.
But Cucurella’s importance to the side and how good he has looked on both sides of the ball mean he gets the nod. At the end of the season, let’s see if that changes.
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