Watford 1-2 Chelsea, Player Ratings: Super Cesc, Super Michy, super subs

A most strange of seasons for Fabregas last season, not just in terms of lacking assists but also reversing his general pattern of play, starting very badly and then slowly improving over the course of the campaign.  There were quality displays against West Ham and Bournemouth and Manchester City's reserves in the FA Cup, and of course Arsenal, but by and large, the conversation around Cesc turned largely negative.

With Conte's emphasis on qualities that aren't necessarily Cesc's strengths, Chelsea's most creative midfielder has been, unsurprisingly, left on the bench for the first two games of the season.  But if his first appearance is any indication of the effect he can have as an impact substitute, he will get to play a key role still this year.  Alternatively, perhaps Conte will find a way to include him, a la Pirlo back in the day at Juventus.

Upon his arrival in the summer, Michy wasted no time in endearing himself to fans off the pitch via social media.

Upon his first two (substitute) appearances once the season started, Michy wasted no time in endearing himself to fans on the pitch via an assist and a goal in his first two games.

The 22-year-old's combination of power and pace is already drawing comparisons to a certain other French-speaking striker who arrived from Marseille.  Such comparisons carry little actual value of course, but Batshuayi's Chelsea career seems to be off to a great start.

One of these days, Match of the Day will finally drop the pretense and run a segment entirely devoted to the football crimes of just one man, Chelsea's #19, who's once again taking a central role in the Premier League narrative as public enemy #1.

Chelsea must be doing well, in other words.