It seems a long time ago now, but Chelsea were superb in the first part of the season and ruthlessly efficient in the second. Only four matches were lost in all competitions throughout the season: away at Newcastle and Tottenham; at home incredibly to Bradford in the FA Cup; and at West Brom after the title had been sewn up.
Drogba's influence on the pitch was fairly small, and mainly consisted of making cameos from the bench often, though he did score three in three, including a good header at Man United, in late October. He was also needed at the back end of the season as we looked to wrap up the title early, starting against QPR, Man United, Leicester and Crystal Palace.
However, his main contribution was off the pitch. As one of the ever-decreasing number of leaders in the dressing room he had to convince the talented, but inexperienced, squad that they had the ability, and more importantly, the nerve to become champions. This season's pathetic displays only serve to highlight the importance of this even further.
It was always a possibility that Drogba's return, having seemingly ended his career with us on the perfect note in 2012, would be a disappointment and potentially tinge his legacy somewhat. However, in guiding the club to a fifth league title he managed to improve on it. He was carried off the pitch by his teammates on the last game of the season to a standing ovation.
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