With all of the incoming big name players this offseason, Loic Remy somewhat slipped under the radar. The Frenchman has been limited to a handful of appearances this season. However, when called upon he has been nothing short of brilliant. Remy was a last minute signing and even Jose had expressed that he wasn’t planning on bringing him in, until Torres decided to exit. Jose said, “Remy was almost in the last day, but that was just a consequence of Fernando leaving, a reaction to an unexpected situation.” However, Jose would go on to back his new striker, saying he was “perfect for Chelsea.” Those are strong words for a manager that doesn’t give out compliments often, especially for players he hasn’t worked with yet.
Remy has more than justified his signing. The Blues needed to sign a striker, a reliable scorer, a hard worker, and someone who would be content to playing second fiddle to Diego Costa. Remy has proven he can do all of these things. Chelsea have needed to survive without Costa on several occasions this campaign as a result of injury or suspension. Every time that Remy has been called upon, he has not disappointed. He scored big goals for the Blues this season, most notably his goal against Manchester City, which proved to be the only goal of the game for the Blues. Remy has shown that he can lead the line for the Blues in Costa’s absence and not only be a placeholder, but be effective.
Remy adds a different dimension to the Blues attack. Where Costa bullies defenders, gets on the last man and looks to score his goals in the box, Remy is different. He tracks back to receive the ball lower on the pitch a lot more often. He often makes decisive runs to the outside, opening up the middle for Hazard and Willian. He is also strong striker, using his physical strength to get past defenders at times. For his goal against Tottenham in Chelsea’s 3-0 victory, Remy proved to be stronger than Jan Vertonghen who could not stick with the Frenchman. He has demonstrated that he is more than effective when called on, which will be vital as the campaign winds down.
Overall, I can guarantee that Remy will have a part to play towards the end of the season. He is simply too good and provides Chelsea with too much of a different look to not get his chance. I am also confident that when called upon, Remy will take his chances. This weekend he proved to Mourinho and us that much. He has worked his way into Mourinho’s plans and has fought his way into a stacked Chelsea side, all the way from the likes of QPR and Marseille. As fans we should get behind the idea of Remy playing a big role for us, because as much as we hate to admit it, Costa can be injury prone, especially with his fragile hamstring. We have not seen all of Remy this season, and when it matters most, I am backing the Frenchman to deliver as he has thus far.
