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r reading some of the Chelsea end of year review pieces within the mediauck me how basic and obvious they were. For such a tumultuous seasonps and downs would a summary of a few paragraphs with some hiddenZHIV\[[OLJS\IYLHSS`Z\MJL&7LYZVUHSS`0^V\SKSPRL[VYLHKZVTL[OPUN
SLTVYLPUKLW[O5V[VUS`JV]LYPUN[OLWSH PUNZPKLI\[ZVTLVM[OLLTLTVYHISL[YPWZVM[OH[ZLHZVUHZ^LSS0UWHY[[OPZPZ^OLYL[OLPKLH[Vtogether a season preview came from.
are potentially entering an extremely exciting phase of Chelsea's history: ag side who will be guided and shaped by our greatest ever manager.return of Jos Mourinho seemed a remote prospect at the beginning of
ZLHZVU>OLU[OL^OPZWLYZLTLYNLK^LHSSOVWLKI\[P[Z\YLS` V\SKYYLHSPZ[PJHSS`[YHUZWPYL5L]LY[OLSLZZL]LU^P[O[OLJS\IJVUYTPUN[OL
ointment on its website it still did not sink in. Only during the Hull gamen the Special One walks out of the tunnel is it likely to even begin tonate.
;OLMVSSV^PUNWYL]PL^V\[SPULZ[OPUNZMYVT[OLHJHKLT`\W\U[PS[OLYZ[[L>LOH]LZV\NO[[OLVWPUPVUVMMVV[IHSSHUHS`Z[ZQV\YUHSPZ[ZLKP[VYZISVNNWVKJHZ[LYZHUKZ[H[PZ[PJPHUZ[VWYV]PKLHW\ISPJH[PVU^YP[[LUI`*OLSZLHMfor Chelsea fans. Things are naturally written with a Chelsea perspective i
TPUKI\[^LOH]LH[[LTW[LK[VILHZYLHZVUHISLHZWVZZPISL5VVUL^[VYLHKZVTL[OPUN[OH[^V\SKZP[JVTMVY[HIS`PU[OL3P]LYWVVS79THU\HSam hoping this well-balanced preview entertains as it certainly has beenLUQV`HISLWPLJPUNP[HSS[VNL[OLY
7LYZVUHSS`0^V\SKSPRL[V[OHURL]LY`VUL^OVOHZWYVTV[LKJVU[YPI\[LKLKP[LKJVTWPSLKHUKOLSWLKPUHU`^H`^P[O[OLWYL]PL^0[JV\SKUV[OH]
ILLUHJOPL]LK^P[OV\[HSV[VMOHYK^VYRHUK0JLY[HPUS`[OPURP[^HZ VY[O
0KVOVWL`V\LUQV`YLHKPUN[OLWYL]PL^SL[\ZOVWLMVYHUL_JP[PUNZLHZahead.
Carefree.
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The Second Coming has a bad reputation. Kevin Keegan at Newcas-
tle, Dirty Dens return rom the dead in Eastenders, the Stone Roses
ollow up to their iconic debut, all bywords or ailure and unmetexpectation. Never go back they say, apparently, and predictably this
has been the press reaction to Jose Mourinhos return to Chelsea
ollowing his departure rom Real Madrid.
Furthermore, the Portugueses perceived lack o success in Spain (despite
wrestling the La Liga title back to the Bernebau rom perhaps the best club
side in history and gaining over 100 points in the process) has been high-lighted by detractors to highlight why hell ail at Chelsea and in extreme
cases to suggest that he is the managerial equivalent o ools gold, while
he may appear to embody success on the surace, but i you examine more
closely hes actually worthless.
O course, this is mainly bollocks, even i you buy the ailure in Spain
argument. Mourinho had a particularly raught relationship with the
media, sections o the support and the clubs hierarchy in the Spanish
Capital and has spoke o his desire to be adored as integral to his return to
Chelsea. Despite the nose tapping rom those in the know that hed
actually have preerred a move to either o the Manchester clubs, adored
he most certainly is, as ans this is the one weve been waiting or.
For the frst time since his departure in 2007, there seems to be a perect
managerial ft or the players, board and ans. Whilst Di Matteo was (right-
ly) hugely popular with the supporters there always seemed to be a
behind the scenes issue with his permanent appointment. Equally whilst
we remain eternally grateul to Carlo Ancelotti or delivering the frst
double in the clubs long and distinguished history and empathise with
him ollowing the disgraceul way the board handled his dismissal, his
tenure never elt like it was going to be or the long term.
Now the supporters have the man whose name they have sung continu-
ously or the previous six years and there is a oundation at the club o
talented young players like Mata, Hazard and Oscar that could make up theback bone o the side or the majority o the next decade. Although the
received wisdom with Mourinho is that he burns bright and ast and
doesnt hang around, this time around he seems old and wise enough to
have the desire to settle in one place and young enough to build the
legacy he has reerenced in interviews.
Welcome home Mourinho.
our n oThe Second Coming
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layer
rofilesPER LOOK IN TO OUR SQUAD
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ademy
iew
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ho are Chelseas greatest ever players? Who
ould make it into the all time best eleven? If you
sked 100 Chelsea fans you would probably get 100
ifferent line ups. This is due to peoples perception,
Clean Sheet %*SLHU ZOLL[Z HYL ZVTL[OPUN LSZL [OH[ PZ PTWVY[HU[ [V HNVHSRLLWLYZJYLKPIPSP[`)\[^OVRLLWZJSLHUZOLL[Z[OLTVZ[often?
>OLU7L[Y*LJOWSH`ZPUNVHS*OLSZLHJVUJLKLNVHSZL]LY`NHTLZ6US`*HYSV*\KPJUPHUK,K+L.VL`OH]L^OVQVPU7L[Y *LJO PU JVUJLKPUN ML^LY [OHU VUJL WLY NHTL VUH]LYHNL
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p p p p p
ffection and memory of players. However, this
rticle forgets all about sentiment by looking at
tatistical factors based on different criteria.
ach player is ranked by comparing them to other players ineir general position. For example, a right back is classed asKLMLUKLY V\[ZPKL SLM[ HZHTPKLSKLY L[J ;OLYLMVYL [OLam shape may be unbalanced in terms of strict positions.US`WLVWSL^OVWSH`LKNHTLZHYLPUJS\KLK;OLV]LYHSSlayer ranking is based on their ranking score for eachlement.
oalkeeper OLSW UK *OLSZLHZ U\TILY VUL [OPZ HY[PJSL SVVRZ H[UILH[LU*SLHU ZOLL[ HUK [OL )S\LZ H]LYHNL.VHSifference per game.
nbeaten %ne of the main reasons that a team is successful is down to
X\HSP[`NVHSRLLWLY(KLJLU[RLLWLY^PSSVM[LU^PU`V\]P[HSVPU[ZHUK NHTLZ K\YPUN [OL ZLHZVU^P[O KYHTH[PJZH]LZSWPUN[OL[LHTH]VPKKLMLH[;OL[HISLILSV^SVVRZH[[OLHTZ\UILH[LUWLYJLU[HNL
L[Y*LJOOHZ[OLILZ[\UILH[LUYH[PVVMHSS[OL*OLSZLHoalkeepers, only losing 15% of the games he playedU *HYSV *\KPJPUP PZ [OL VUS V[OLY RLL LY ^OV
*HYSV *\KPJPUP OHZ RLW[ JSLHUZOLL[ZTVYL VM[LU [OHU HU V[OLY)S\LZRLLWLY/PZYH[PVPZZSPNO[S`HIV]L[OLTHU^OV YLWSHJLK OPT HZ *OLSZLHZ U\TILY VUL 7L[Y *LJO)LU/V^HYK)HRLYPZ[OL,UNSPZOSLHKLYYHURLK[O
V]LYHSS^P[O HJSLHUZOLL[ PUVMHWWLHYHUJLZ7L[LY)VUL[[P OHZ RLW[ [OL TVZ[ JSLHUZOLL[Z L]LY MVY [OL JS\IOV^L]LY OL VUS THUHNLK [OPZ [PTLZ PU NHTLZSLH]PUNOPTYHURLK[OV]LYHSS
Goals Conceded Average
Although clean sheets are important, the number of goalsJVUJLKLK PZ LX\HSS ]P[HS ;OL [HISL ILSV^ SVVRZ H[ [OLH]LYHNLU\TILYVMNVHSZ*OLSZLHJVUJLKLWLYNHTLMVYLHJOkeeper.
Overall Ranking
:V^OVILJVTLZ[OLYZ[UHTLVU[OLNYLH[LZ[L]LY*OLSZLHXI team sheet?
0[Z UV Z\YWYPZL I\[ 7L[Y *LJO PZ Z[H[PZ[PJHS S [OL ILZ[NVHSRLLWLY*OLSZLHOH]LL]LYOHKMVSSV^LKI`*HYSV*\KPJPUPHUK,K+L.VL`
efendersVOV^KV`V\JOVVZL[OLNYLH[LZ[KLMLUKLYZ&;OPZZLJ[PVUes the same criteria as the goalkeepers but also includeseir personal goal scoring ratio too.
0[HWWLHYZ[OH[PM*OLSZLH^HU[LK[VRLLWHJSLHUZOLL[[OHU[OL`ULLKLK[VJHSSVU>H`UL)YPKNL/PZJSLHUZOLL[YH[PVVM W\[Z OPT HOLHK VM MLSSV M\SS IHJRZ 1\SPHUV )LSSL[[P7H\SV-LYYLPYHHUKJLU[YLIHJR(SL_
.YHOHT9VILY[ZPZI`MHY[OLTVZ[WYVSPJKLMLUKLY[OH[*OLS-ZLHOH]LL]LYOHK/PZYLJVYKVMZJVYPUNL]LY`NHTLZPZTHPUS`KV^U[VOPZWLUHS[`[HRPUNWYV^LZZ0UUKWSHJLPZ.HY`*HOPSSZJVYPUNHNVHSL]LY`NHTLZ1VOU[LYY`PZ[OLVUS`
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nbeaten %
he table below shows Chelseas unbeaten percentage bylayer.
YHaPSPHU KLMLUKLY 1\SPHUV )LSSL[[P OHZ [OL ILZ[ \UILH[LUYJLU[HNLVMHU`*OLSZLHWSH`LYVUS`SVZPUNPUNHTLZVULYHNL1VOU;LYY`HUK(ZOSL`*VSLHYL[OLVUS`[^Vembers of the current squad to make it into the top 10. InJ[P[ZVUS`SP[[SL(SILY[-LYYLY[VTHRL[OLSPZ[[OH[UL]LYWSH`LK\YPUN[OL9VTHU(IYHTV]PJOLYH
lean Sheet %
\[^OPJOWSH`LYZOLSW*-*RLLWJSLHUZOLL[ZVU[OLTVZ[casions?
;OLZL MV\Y KLMLUKLYZ RLW[ H JSLHU ZOLL[ PU V]LY OHSM [OLPYNHTLZ(SILY[-LYYLYHUK9VILY[/\[OOH]LKYVWWLKV\[VM[OPZ
SPZ[PUWSHJLVM>PSSPHT.HSSHZHUK*LSLZ[PUL)HIH`HYV
Goals Conceded Average;OL[HISLILSV^ZOV^Z[OLH]LYHNLU\TILYVMNVHSZ[OL)S\LZconceded by defender.
Unsurprisingly, the four best ranked defenders are also theZHTLHZ[OLJSLHUZOLL[Z[VWMV\Y(NHPU>H`UL)YPKNL[VWZ[OLSPZ[NVHSZWLYNHTL^OPSZ[1VOU;LYY`PZPU[OWSHJLJVUJLKPUNNVHSZL]LY`NHTLZ
Goal Scoring Ratio/V^L]LYKLMLUKLYZJHUVM[LUILH[OYLH[PUMYVU[VMNVHSHUKso this must be taken into account as well.
WSH`LYPU[OL[VW^OVOHZHUH]LYHNLIL[[LY[OHUNHTLZWLYNVHS-(*\WOLYV+H]PK>LIIPZPU[OWSHJLOV^L]LYOL
VJJHZPVUHSS`WSH`LKM\Y[OLY\W[OLLSKNP]PUNOPTTVYLVWWVY-[\UP[PLZ[VZJVYL;OLZHTLJV\SKHSZVILZHPKMVY+HU7L[YLZ-J\9\\K.\SSP[HUK+H]PK3\Pa
Overall Ranking:V ^OV PZ *OLSZLHZ ILZ[ L]LY KLMLUKLY HUK ^OPJO V[OLYplayers would make your back line?
:[H[PZ[PJHSS`(SL_PZ[OL)S\LZILZ[L]LYKLMLUKLYMVSSV^LKI`MLSSV )YHaPSPHU 1\SPHUV )LSSL[[P 1VOU ;LYY PZ PU YK WSHJL
although will be argued that he is the greatest defender in theJS\IZOPZ[VY`
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orwardsOLSZLHOH]LOHKZVTHU`NYLH[HUKUV[ZVNYLH[Z[YPRLYZPULPYOPZ[VY`0TZ\YL`V\HSSOH]L`V\YV^UMH]V\YP[LI\[^OVthe best statistically?
oal Scoring Ratio
Unbeaten %-PUHSS`SL[ZSVVRH[[OL\UILH[LUWLYJLU[HNLVMLHJOWSH`LY
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OPZZ[H[PZ[PJPZ\ZLK[VUK[OLTVZ[WYVSPJ;OPZPZIHZLKVULU\TILYZVMNHTLZWSH`LKKP]PKLKI`[OLU\TILYVMNVHSZ
ored.
LPP\*UHDYHVLV&KHOVHDVPRVWSUROLFJRDOVFRUHU
nd averaged a goal every 1.28 games. George Gat-ing Gun Hilsdon, who once scored 6 goals in one
ame, is in 4th place, just behind Bob Turnbull and
mmy Lawton. Blues legend Bobby Tambling, who
etted over 200 times, is in 8th place (1.83). Jimmy
loyd Hasselbaink is the most recent striker to join
e top 10, scoring once every other game on aver-
ge.
am Goals ScoredI]PV\ZS`NVHSZHYLPTWVY[HU[MVYZ[YPRLYZI\[[OLPYH[[HJRPUN[P[\KLPZSPRLS`[VPU\LUJL[OLYLZ[VM[OL[LHT;OPZZ[H[PZ[PJPZZLKVU[OLH]LYHNLU\TILYVMNVHSZ[OH[*OLSZLHZJVYLKch game.
1VOUU`)YVVRZ[VWZ[OLSPZ[HZ[OL)S\LZZJVYLKNVHSZWLYgame with him in the team, despite him only netting 7 times in
NHTLZ(ML^TVYLYLJLU[UHTLZZ\JOHZ5PJVSHZ(ULSRH+HUPLS :[\YYPKNL (UKYP :OL]JOLURV HUK :HSVTVU 2HSV\OLSWLK LUZ\YL [OH[ *-* ZJVYLK HU H]LYHNL VM NVHSZ WLYgame.
Teams Average Goal Difference;OL SHZ[[LHTZ[H[PZ[PJSVVRZ H[ [OLH]LYHNLNVHSKPMMLYLUJL;OPZPZK\L[V[OLH[[HJRPUNHUKVJJHZPVUHSKLMLUZP]LK\[PLZ[OL
Z[YPRLYZOH]L[VWSH`PUVYKLY[VZ\WWVY[[OL[LHTM\SS`0[\ZLZ[OLZHTLMVYT\SHHZ[OLTPKLSKLYZ
(UKYP`:OL]JOLURV[VWZ[OLSPZ[HM[LY[OL)S\LZOHKHUH]LYHNLNVHSKPMMLYLUJLVMWLYNHTL0[PZVUS`[OL[VWZ[YPRLYZ[OH[OLSWLK*-*OH]LHUH]LYHNLNVHSKPMMLYLUJLNYLH[LY[OHU *OLSZLHZ J\YYLU[ U\TILY UPUL -LYUHUKV ;VYYLZ PZ
(NHPU(UKYP`:OL]JOLURV SLHKZ [OPZ SPZ[ 0U MHJ[OLOHZ [OLILZ[\UILH[LUWLYJLU[HNLVMHU`*OLSZLHWSH`LYL]LYthat has made 50+ appearances. Six of the top 10 played\UKLY1VZL4V\YPUOV4PRHLS-VYZZLSSTHRLZP[PU[V[OWSHJLVUS`SVZPUNPUNHTLZVUH]LYHNL
Overall Ranking:V^OVPZ*OLSZLHZILZ[L]LYZ[YPRLYHUK^OVLSZL^V\SK`V\put alongside him?
;OPZYLWVY[OHZ+PKPLY+YVNIHHZ[OLILZ[L]LYZ[YPRLY;OPZPZHJOVPJL[OH[^HZHSZVLJOVLKK\YPUNHYLJLU[Z\Y]L`JVUK\J[LKI`*OLSZLH-VV[IHSS*S\I:VTLYH[OLYPU[LYLZ[PUNPUJS\ZPVUZHYL.LVYNL.YHOHT PUUK WSHJLHUK)HYY`)YPKNLZ PU[O
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Summary
The following team is arguably Chelseas best ever (based on team and individual statistics). It uses a
traditional 4-4-2 formation and may be unbalanced in real terms.
GK: Petr Cech
DEF: Alex
DEF: Juliano Belletti
DEF: John Terry
DEF: Glen Johnson
MID: Frank Lampard
MID: Arjen Robben
MID: Michael Ballack
MID: Damien Duff
ATT: Didier Drogba
ATT: George Graham
How does this team match up to your all time Chelsea team?
@ChelseaChadder
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When losing
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9HMH)LUP[La^VUZP_VM[OLNHTLZ^OLU*OLSZLH^LYLSVZPUNNP]PUNOPTHVULPU[OYLLH]LYHNL;OPZPZZSPNO[S`IL[[LY[OHU4V\YPUOV^OVVUS`THUHNLKP[PUK\YPUNVULPUMV\YNHTLZWLYJLU[/V^L]LYP[PZ^VY[OUV[PUN[OH[\UKLY)LUP[La[OL)S\LZSVZ[V]LYOHSM[OLNHTLZWLYJLU[PU^OPJO[OL`^LU[ILOPUK;OL:WLJPHS6ULVUS`SVZ[VM[OLNHTLZPU^OPJOOPZ*OLSZLH^LYLPUHSVZPUNWVZP[PVUTLHUPUN[OL`JSH^LKIHJRHYLZ\S[WLYJLU[VM[OL[PTL
SummarySo, when looking at results, goals scored and conceded, clean sheets, holding on to leadsHUK[\YUPUNKLMLH[PU[V]PJ[VY`^OVPZ[OLIL[[LYTHUHNLY&
0[ZUVZ\YWYPZL[OH[*OLSZLHWLYMVYTLKT\JOIL[[LY\UKLY1VZL4V\YPUOV[OHU[OL`KPK\UKLY )LUP[La /V^L]LY [OL` ^LYL THYRLKS` TVYL JVUZLY]H[P]L PU KVPUN ZV +LZWP[L
9VTHU(IYHTV]PJOZZ\WWVZLKL_WLJ[H[PVU[OH[OPZZPKLWSH`ZLU[LY[HPUPUNH[[HJRPUNMVV[ -IHSSP[HWWLHYZ[OH[[OPZTH`UV[IL[OLWYPVYP[`HU`TVYL4V\YPUOVZHWWVPU[TLU[PUKPJH[LZ[OH[KVTLZ[PJHUK,\YVWLHUKVTPUH[PVUPZTVYLPTWVY[HU[
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