“It takes 10 years to be an overnight success,” a popular maxim goes. But for Victor Moses, it took four exhausting, frustrating and uncertain years to get here.
After three underwhelming loan spells at Liverpool, Stoke City and West Ham, Moses returned to Chelsea short of confidence, iffy, and confused about place at the club.
Fast forward to the night of Friday, May 13 he has been drenched with champagne, celebrating a Premier League title with Chelsea.
He’s not just celebrating a title that has been won by his club and
teammates, he is toasting to the deserved recognition of his talent, the
return of his self-belief, results of his hardwork, perseverance and
determination.
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Victor
Moses and Michy Batshuayi celebreate Chelsea's goal against West Brom
which clinched the Premier League title for them on Friday, May 12.
(Matthew Ashton - AMA/WBA FC via Getty Images)
ALSO READ: Chelsea win Premier League title
He
wanted this moment, to prove his doubters wrong. Moses has certainly
been one of Chelsea’s most important players this season.
This was highly unlikely when Jose Mourinho
returned to Chelsea in 2013, the manager without any musing, threw
Moses out on loan to Liverpool. Undesired and discarded. The next season
it was Stoke City, the next, West Ham.
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Victor Moses was never given a chance at Chelsea by Jose Mourinho (EPA)
“He
never spoke to me. I thought in my head, "He's got his own players
already. I think we chatted a couple of times on the phone - he asked if
I was alright at Liverpool, but that was it," Moses told ESPN in October 2016.
Yes, that was it. 'You’re not good enough', was the clear message from Mourinho. It was dispiriting.
With
that feeling, Moses returned to Chelsea for pre-season in 2016, he and
his agent started planning another loan move. Then in a twist of fate, Antonio Conte wanted him to stay.
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Victor Moses' last loan spell was away at Chelsea (Getty Images)
Initially, just a fringe player, Moses made five substitute appearances for Chelsea before that 3-0 loss at Arsenal
in September that brought about a rigorous change. Following that
defeat, Conte made a tactical switch to his favourite 3-4-3 set-up, he
needed soldiers for his new formation and Moses stepped in.
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Victor Moses had an underwhelming spell at Liverpool (Bleacher )
Moses is clearly not blessed with Pedro’s deadly goal instinct, neither does he possess the flair and nimble feet of Eden Hazard.
His qualities, Conte exploited to devastating effect. His impressive
stamina, strength and fitness made him the perfect fit for the right
wing-back position. Harrying that right wing with vim and vigour gave
Chelsea a new level of penetration and width that made them so deadly.
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Moses provided pace and width for Chelsea on the right (John Patrick Fletcher/Action Plus via Getty Images)
He
started Chelsea’s next Premier League games and owned that position.
With the new 3-4-3 set-up and Moses as a right wing-back, Chelsea went
on a record equalling 13 consecutive league wins that saw them top of
the table in December.
They never left.
Moses
became so essential for Chelsea that it was difficult for them to
maintain shape when the Nigerian was missing. The penetration, width and
pace he brings to that right side, brought him so many critical plaudits this season.
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Antonio Conte cannot understand why Victor Moses's talent was underestimated (Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
“Moses
has important qualities: technique, physical strength, the ability to
cover 70 metres of the pitch. I find it incredible that someone like him
has been underestimated,” Conte told Gazzetta dello Sport in November 2016.
Moses
made 22 consecutive Premier League starts from September 2016 to April
2017. 28 league starts and 33 league appearances in total this season.
He is the Nigerian player with the most Premier League appearances for a title winning team ever.
John Mikel Obi made 25 appearances when Chelsea won the league title in 2010 and 18 when they won it again in 2015
Kanu Nwankwo made 23 appearances for Arsenal’s winning title side of 2002 and just 10 of 2004.
It’s been remarkable how good Victor Moses has been.
He seemed speechless after the win on Friday.
“CHAMPIONS !!! Words can't describe the emotions right now! We did this together! #CFC Family!” he wrote on Twitter.
This
time last year, he was almost through with an injury-ravaged loan
season at West Ham, now he’s a Premier League winner. It must be surreal
to him.
He has moved from just annual loanee to a celebrated Premier League winner.
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