On January 16, 2012 Chelsea paid £7million for Bolton Wanderers Captain Gary Cahill. Two years later and Cahill’s impact at Chelsea has been massive. He has helped Chelsea win three trophies in his 2 years at the club, the most impressive of which was the largely coveted UEFA Champions League. In the 2013/14 Premier League season, Cahill made 31 Premier League appearances for Chelsea, in which he managed to help form the most menacing defensive partnership alongside the current captain John Terry; a defence which only conceded 27 goals in the Premier League and got to the Champions League semi-finals. Furthermore, Cahill was part of the PFA team of the year for the first time, nominated for Chelsea’s player of the year, which Eden Hazard ended up winning and was part of Roy Hodgson’s 23-man squad for the World Cup in Brazil. Terry was recently given a one-year contract extension, whilst ex vice-captain, Frank Lampard, was released. Current vice-captain Petr Cech is facing a battle with Thibaut Courtois to be the number one goalkeeper next season. Moreover, with David Luiz gone, a player whom Roman Abramovich wanted as future captain, this leaves Cahill as the number one option to take the armband after Terry retires. Now you may be asking yourself “Why should Gary Cahill be the next Captain for Chelsea and not someone else?”.
Gary Cahill and the Chelsea Captaincy
1. Discipline and Concentration
During his time at Chelsea, Gary Cahill has featured in a total of 112 games. In those 112 games, Cahill has received only two red cards and 24 yellow cards. This means that Cahill receives a yellow card every 4.7 games and red card every 56 games. Meanwhile, Terry receives a yellow every 9.6 games and a red every 155.25. Impressive from both. Especially when you consider players like Zabaleta and Gareth Barry, players who got more than ten cards in the premier league last season.
2. Technical Ability
When Gary Cahill was bought, Andres Villas-Boas said that ‘He[Cahill] had good technical abilities which is important in the way we want to play and to implement our passing philosophy.’ Villas-Boas was correct. Cahill is a top passer and a top defender now. He isn’t big on long passes but can distribute from the back and is patient, unlike David Luiz who was recently sold to PSG, partly because of his tendency to be unpredictable while in defence.
3. Aerial Duels and Tackling
Gary Cahill is very similar to Terry in that they are both powerful in the air and on the ground. Their aerial prowess does not only help in defense but in attack as well. Their clinical nature in front of goal with their heads have helped the Stamford Bridge outfit win games plenty of times. Cahill is a player who is patient when going into tackles; he waits for the right moment instead of diving in and losing the challenge.
4. Passion
This might sound cheesy, but it is essential for all captains. Gary Cahill, like Terry, goes into every game with the will to win, no matter what. He goes into every tackle with all his might and every challenge is a battle. Not a lot of players play with their heart on their sleeve nowadays; Cahill is an exception in the modern world. He does what is asked of him and a bit extra and he works tirelessly to help the team whenever they need it. He is a role model to many young players at the club and a leader in the locker room.
5. He Has Done It Before
Gary Cahill was Bolton’s captain before joining Chelsea, he knows how to carry himself and is used to the pressure that comes with being a skipper. He is a quiet player and mature as well. His experience with the armband is a plus. Some of Terry’s good qualities have rubbed off on the #24, such as knowing what to do and when to do it-like tackling and challenging for the ball more effectively-. His partnership with Terry at the back has helped prepare him to become the next captain as well.
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