The international break always feels like an appropriate place to stop and reflect on the season so far. Chelsea sit third in the Premier League, in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, the semi-finals of the FA Cup, have won the UEFA Super Cup, won the Club World Cup and fallen in the final of the Carabao Cup.
Thomas Tuchel may have wanted time to simply take a break during the opening week of international commitments but that's an awful lot to reflect on. Despite an early part of the season where the Blues led Manchester City and Liverpool, they've won 12 of their last 13 matches and seem to be finally figuring out how to perform at their highest level.
While there's plenty of uncertainty of the pitch, there is growing conviction on it. football.london takes a look back at and rates how each member of the first team squad has performed over the course of this season so far.
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Edouard Mendy: The Senegal goalkeeper has enjoyed another fine season in the Chelsea net and beyond as he claimed the AFCON trophy in addition to the Club World Cup in February. The glovesman produced some outstanding saves in the early matches of the season to ensure the Blues' defence looked as solid as the scorelines suggested. Less convincing moments have been few and far between and he's looking back to his best at the moment. 8.
Kepa Arrizabalaga: The misfortune the Spaniard saw in the Carabao Cup final notwithstanding, Kepa has probably enjoyed a better season than many would have expected, asserting himself as a pretty dependable number one in Mendy's absence. Plenty of penalty saves and has proved a good character to push his teammate. 7.
Marcus Bettinelli: The former Fulham goalkeeper has played just once this season against Chesterfield in the FA Cup and thus has had little time to impress the Chelsea faithful. That was to be expected when he arrived at Stamford Bridge however, so it's difficult to mark him down. 5.
Reece James: An incredibly difficult season to grade. The wing-back has been phenomenal when he's been on the pitch but has spent a great deal of the term injured too. Five goals and six assists in 17 Premier League appearances tells its own story and against Burnley he looked set to continue exactly where he left off. Fingers crossed he is fit following the international break. 7.
Cesar Azpilicueta: At 32, some of Azpilicueta's attributes might be beginning to diminish but his durability, leadership and consistency remain steadfast at Stamford Bridge. With just months remaining on his Blues deal, the Spaniard continues to show his value and versatility covering from James. 8.
Trevoh Chalobah: 12 months ago it would have been unthinkable that Chalobah would be on this list at all. From impressing Tuchel in pre-season the young defender has shown a penchant for a goal and put in some very solid performances. He has produced a couple of vulnerable moments in recent weeks, but the positives he has shown more than outweigh them. That his mark isn't higher only serves to show the standard he can be held to. 7.
Andreas Christensen: At times the Denmark international has looked like he will ensure Thiago Silva is not missed when he departs Chelsea, and that he could live up to John Terry's lofty predictions. However, with his contract set to expire, Christensen has missed matches because of it, and picked up some niggly injuries in 2022. At his best he's brilliant, but he's not always found it since the turn of the year. Still a sure-fire starter when fit however. 7.
Thiago Silva: The Brazilian puts anyone watching him at complete ease but before you know it completely breathless with his quality. Silva is the kind of player that makes you appreciate defending. Almost impregnable as part of a unit. 10.
Antonio Rudiger: Perhaps Stamford Bridge's most entertaining player but his antics should not take away from the quality he can provide too. He's played more than anyone else this term and formed a fearsome partnership with Silva. 9.
Malang Sarr: Another player that has had a season beyond what many would have expected. The Frenchman has become a trusted rotation option in the centre and on the left of defence. The 23-year-old would be unlikely to challenge Ben Chilwell however, and it remains to be see where his future lies come the summer. 6.
Ben Chilwell: Unbelieve in his brief period on the pitch and his display will leave anyone of a Chelsea persuasion dreaming of what he could do in Tuchel's favoured 3-4-3 formation. Set to be out for the rest of the season, his injury will leave 2021/22 as a term he hopes to forget. 4.
Marcos Alonso: The Spaniard looked like a player reborn at the start of the season as he produced some outstanding displays. He was unable to show quite the same qualities over the festive period but has been relied upon with Chilwell out for so much of the campaign. With just over 12 months left on his contract, it may be time the Blues consider parting ways. 6.
Kenedy: The Brazilian wasn't even involved with the Blues at the start of the season but saw his loan with Flamengo cut short in January. Kenedy has featured for 71 minutes over two FA Cup matches and proved to be little more than another body in training so far. 3.
N'Golo Kante: Kante continues to stand up to be counted in Chelsea's biggest matches and appears to have found his rhythm after being in and out of the side during the first half of the season. Still gives the air of the best midfielder in the world on his day. 7.
Jorginho: The Italian hasn't always reached the heights of his glorious 2020/21 season but offers control that Chelsea struggle to replicate without him. 7.
Mateo Kovacic: To stand out when competing with Kante and Jorginho is quite the feat and the Croatian has certainly done that this term. Offers Tuchel's midfielder another dimension when he's on form and has shown the ability to be on the same wavelength as Romelu Lukaku when few others have. 9.
Saul Niguez: At one stage is loan move looked set to be a disaster but has settled into a role where he can provide depth for a talented midfield. The Atletico loanee will be disappointed to have not made more of an impression, but the 27-year-old can still provide some utility for the Blues. 4.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek: The Blues midfielder as shown glimpses of his very best which capture the imagination and seek to persuade you he still has a solid role to play under Tuchel. Loftus-Cheek has been used in a number of different roles this season, and is still just behind Chelsea's key trio. He is just a handful of appearances behind the number he made for Fulham last season too which is a positive. 5.
Ross Barkley: A player that needs a transfer as much as anyone, Barkley is another who played a big role than many expected at the start of the season but has fallen once again into obscurity at Chelsea. Now fortunate to make the bench. 4.
Mason Mount: As close to undroppable as Chelsea get with their forward players, Mount has overcome a fruitless spell to once again show his ability to score and assist. The England international has already provided his best return in a season with 20 goal contributions., having now hit 50 in his Blues career. 8.
Christian Pulisic: Missed much of the early part of the season via an ankle injury but has shown to be someone Tuchel trusts. When place in an advanced positions has produced a clinical edge that Chelsea have sometimes lacked, as he did against Lille twice. Well-placed to end the season very well. 7.
Callum Hudson-Odoi: The young winger fought to earn his place in an advanced position, away from Tuchel's reliance on the 21-year-old as a wing-back option. Has proven he can provide quality in the final third but just has a great deal of competition and an Achille issue to overcome. 6.
Hakim Ziyech: The Morrocan has started to show himself to be the complete match-winner Chelsea hoped they were signing from Ajax. Special strikes against the likes of Brighton, Spurs and Middlesbrough have proven the wingers quality and he's living up to the pre-season promise he showed. Conceded he took some time to adapt to Tuchel's tactics but a player Chelsea can increasingly rely upon. 8.
Timo Werner: The German international has managed to record seven goals and four assists across 28 appearances that have seen roughly as many introductions from the bench as starts. His impacts have largely been in the cups with six of his goals and two assists coming against teams as varied as Juventus and Luton Town. Seems a long way from Tuchel's best XI however. 5.
Kai Havertz: Finally appears to have found his preferred role at Chelsea leading the forward line. He has shown plenty of guile and strength to match his ability to manipulate space on the pitch, and even the edge to battle those with a more obvious physical presence. With four goals in his last three Premier League games, he could be on to special end to the season. 8.
Romelu Lukaku: Whatever Lukaku goes on to achieve this season his £97.5million price tag appears a curse on the forward with it set to overshadow any rating he can earn. The Belgian is currently Chelsea's top scorer on 12 goals but seems firmly set as a rotation option for the moment given Havertz's form and impact on the team. 5.
