5 reasons Chelsea won the Premier League title

Chelsea clinched its second Premier League title in three seasons on Friday, Antonio Conte's side completing a march to the throne that saw the club shed its early-season skin, going from insipid contender to unstoppable bulldozer.

Here are five reasons why Chelsea ran away with the crown:

Antonio Conte's insatiable desire for perfection

There are plenty of images that encapsulate Chelsea's season: Eden Hazard gliding past another poor, helpless defender; N'Golo Kante making a tackle for the 1000th time to kill an attack from the opposition; Cesc Fabregas picking out yet another gorgeous pass to tee up a teammate; Marcos Alonso and Victor Moses flying up and down the wings.

But nothing was more enjoyable to watch than Antonio Conte on the touchline. The impassioned Italian bench boss, a flaming bundle of energy who kicks every ball, yells at the top of his lungs for 90 minutes and, above all, wildly celebrates every goal like he just won the lottery, was the catalyst behind the club's resurgence after last season's dreadful campaign.

A superb tactician, Conte's fierceness on the bench is rivalled only by his attention to detail - described by many players, both former and current, as the ultimate perfectionist, the 47-year-old has long been know to manhandle players in training until they are in precisely the right spot in any given situation.

That work ethic has clearly rubbed off on his players, who, as Conte often notes, have "suffered" to get to this point.

"It’s impossible to win this title without suffering," the former Juventus manager said earlier this week. "When you work very hard, it’s normal to suffer. I’ve never seen a player who, during hard work, doesn’t suffer. I think that when you suffer you become stronger and then you are ready to face every situation, above all problematic situations during games."

Chelsea's been able to do exactly that this season.

The two best players in the league

One man could tackle his own shadow, while the other's ability to twist and turn could see him shake free of his.

Kante and Hazard have been the two best players in England's top flight this season; the indefatigable Frenchman has provided the dynamic defensive presence in midfield, while the Belgian's elegance on the ball has spearheaded Chelsea's league-leading attack.

Related: Chelsea's Kante pips Hazard to win PFA Player of the Year award

There's been persistent debate over which of the two integral superstars has been more important to Chelsea's success, but why make it a competition? They're both spectacular in their own (very different) ways, and the west London side wouldn't be hoisting any hardware this season were it not for the contributions of the pair.

No European commitments

Look, it's not the reason Chelsea won the Premier League title, but it would be foolish to suggest that not having any midweek European commitments didn't play a significant role in lifting the Blues above their contenders.

Just ask Leicester City how nice it was to sit back and recuperate last season while everyone else battling for the crown was jetting off around the continent to fulfill their European schedules. It matters.

Conte has enjoyed the ability to field a largely unchanged lineup for most of the season since shifting to a 3-4-3 system, and that simply wouldn't have been possible had an extra competition been wedged into the equation; be it injuries or plain old fatigue, the squad depth would have been tested far more with either a Champions League or Europa League campaign to think about.

Excellent transfer dealings

The outlay wasn't cheap, but unlike some of the club's high-priced signings of previous years, the three (main) men who arrived at Stamford Bridge last summer have all played immense roles in Chelsea's title triumph.

PFA Player of the Year Kante, signed for a reported £32 million from Leicester, is the engine that powers Conte's steamroller; the formerly maligned David Luiz, re-signed from Paris Saint-Germain for a fee believed to be in the £34-million range, anchors the backline; Marcos Alonso, who cost a reported £23 million, has helped the Blues turn the left flank into their playground this season, bombing up and down and dictating play. Two of the three earned nods for the PFA Team of the Year, while Alonso just missed out.

Sure, Michy Batshuayi played a minimal role this season, but the promising Belgian remains a youngster oozing with potential - at 23 years old, he has time to come good in west London.

And regardless, connecting on 75 percent of your deals in any given window is something every team on the planet would take, especially when the signings turn out to be absolute slam dunks.

Dormant players reborn

After spending three years in limbo on loan, Victor Moses returned to Stamford Bridge to become, to the surprise of many - including himself - a wonderful wing-back. Cesc Fabregas started 33 matches last season, and racked up a mere seven assists; this year he's played just over 1200 minutes, but despite being used mainly off the bench, he's been far more impactful, coming in and dictating play as the team's quarterback en route to recording 11 helpers on the campaign. Pedro has quietly been excellent. Nemanja Matic was a liability last season, but, alongside Kante, has rediscovered his form.

With studs like Thibaut Courtois, Kante, Hazard and Diego Costa already in the squad, the re-emergence of the "other", less illustrious team members has pushed an already talented side from solid contender to unstoppable champion.

(Photos courtesy: Reuters)