Chelsea captain Gary Cahill does not feel he has to prove himself to club or country after returning to Antonio Conte s starting XI.
The England defender was a mainstay in Chelsea s 2016-17 Premier League title triumph but has struggled for his best form this time around – somewhat encapsulating the Blues limp defence of a crown that now lies in Manchester City s possession.
Cahill, 32, looked on as an unused substitute for matches against City, Manchester United, Tottenham and Barcelona over recent months but turned in an assured display at the heart of Conte s back three in Sunday s comfortable 2-0 FA Cup semi-final win against Southampton at Wembley.
He has now started all four Chelsea matches since defeat to Spurs at the start of the month – their first game back from the March international break when Cahill was omitted from Gareth Southgate s England squad in favour of the then-uncapped duo James Tarkowski and Alfie Mawson.
I ve been there before, said the centre-back before making a bullish defence of his credentials.
I ve been fortunate to have played the majority of the time I ve been at this club. I ve enjoyed success and I feel like I ve been a big part of success – not just involved in winning trophies but involved heavily.
So I feel I can contribute when I m out there. But it s the manager s decision.
WE RE THROUGH TO THE FA CUP FINAL!
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC)
The prospect of England or Chelsea lining up without Cahill seemed unthinkable when he hoisted the Premier League trophy alongside John Terry 11 months ago.
Nevertheless, he is accepting of a relative fall from grace since the turn of the year and aiming to hit top form as Conte s men try to apply pressure on Liverpool and Tottenham above them in the final two top-four berths.
Every time you come out of the team I know you don t just disappear, you don t just become a bad player overnight, Cahill said.
Form, if you ride it out, means you come back to the level you should be at. I thought I played well against Southampton, did well against Burnley [Chelsea won 2-1 at Turf Moor last Thursday].
I realise that s the situation for everybody, I realise the manager has decisions to make and I realise maybe I m not getting any younger – far from it. But I m fit and ready to go.
I don t have to be going out with nerves, feeling that I have to prove things to everybody. I think I ve done that before if you look over my career – playing in the Champions League, playing in the Premier League and playing for England.
If I m happy with the way I m playing that s good enough for me because I know I m at the level I should be. I m my worst critic when I m playing.
While qualifying for the Champions League is likely to prove out of reach for Chelsea, Cahill has another major honour and a second trip to a World Cup with England firmly in his sights.
This is what playing football is all about – trying to reach finals and trying to lift trophies. We have the opportunity to do that now, he added.
Let s see what happens at the end of the season. We re into the final now, the World Cup s coming. Let s wait and see.
